adjective
endothermic
Maintaining body temperature using heat produced inside the body.
Endothermic animals produce internal heat that helps keep them warm.
Etymology
The Greek formation combines within and heat. The biological adjective describes an animal whose internal heat production sustains its body temperature.
More examples
- Birds are endothermic, even when the air around them is cold.
- Endothermic mammals use energy from food to generate body heat.
- Fur helps endothermic animals retain the heat their bodies produce.
Forms
endotherm noun — Animal that maintains temperature through internal heat.
endothermy noun — Temperature regulation through internally produced body heat.
Similar words
- warm-blooded
- Everyday term emphasizing a relatively stable, warm body temperature.