Hibernation: meaning, definitions and examples

Used when referring to the prolonged period of rest or inactivity that animals undergo typically during winter to survive cold temperatures and food scarcity.

• Bears enter hibernation to conserve energy during winter.
• During hibernation, a groundhog's body temperature drops significantly.

Describes a short-term state of decreased physiological activity in animals, marked by reduced body temperature and metabolic rate, often used daily or seasonally.

• Hummingbirds enter a state of torpor at night to conserve energy.
• During a harsh cold spell, the squirrel fell into a brief torpor.

Often used in the context of plants, seeds, or any living organism to describe a state of metabolic inactivity for a period usually driven by environmental conditions. It can also be used more broadly to describe any period of inactivity or minimal activity.

• The seed remains in dormancy until the spring conditions are ideal for germination.
• Many plants enter dormancy during the winter months.

A layman's term, less scientific, used to describe the period of rest or dormancy animals enter during winter.

• Winter sleep helps certain mammals survive without foraging for food.
• The dormouse goes into winter sleep as soon as the temperature drops.