basal metabolic rate

noun

, Physiology.

1. the rate at which energy is expended in a basal condition, calculated as calories per hour per square meter of body surface and compared with a normal standard expressed as the percentage above or below the amount of oxygen normally used at rest, −15 to +5 percent being considered normal. : BMR

basal metabolic rate

noun

1. the rate at which heat is produced by the body at rest, 12 to 14 hours after eating, measured in kilocalories per square metre of body surface per hour BMR

basal metabolic rate

1. The rate at which energy is used by an organism at complete rest, measured in humans by the heat given off per unit time, and expressed as the calories released per kilogram of body weight or per square meter of body surface per hour.

Word History and Origins

Origin of basal metabolic rate¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

Having a fever can also affect a person’s basal metabolic rate.

From Washington Post