endothermic

adjective

en·​do·​ther·​mic ˌen-də-ˈthər-mik How to pronounce endothermic (audio)
1
: characterized by or formed with absorption of heat
2

Examples of endothermic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
So the scientists centered on endothermic sharks, which have some warm-blooded capabilities. Evan Bush, NBC News, 3 Sep. 2024 Mammals like the orca were ruled out due to having warmer temperature readings, so the scientists focused on endothermic sharks. Stephen Sorace, Fox News, 4 Sep. 2024 The mako shark, for example, is the fastest shark and partly endothermic. John Timmer, Ars Technica, 26 June 2023 With the tooth data, the researchers concluded that the megalodon had been endothermic, after all, and had benefitted greatly from the ability. Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 26 June 2023 The finding also raises an intriguing paradox about how the warm-blooded Megalodon (a new research study that Shimada was also a part of) managed to expend the high level of metabolic heat associated with its endothermic nature without being an active swimmer. Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes, 17 July 2023 But a handful of them—including great white sharks, thresher sharks and mako sharks—are regionally endothermic, just like the megalodon was. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2023 Birds adapted to be endothermic, or warm-blooded. Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 14 Feb. 2020 Comparing the bone structure of some dinosaurs with that of modern birds, for example, suggested that at least some of the extinct animals may have evolved endothermic abilities. Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 14 Feb. 2020

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of endothermic was in 1884

Dictionary Entries Near endothermic

Cite this Entry

“Endothermic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/endothermic. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

endothermic

adjective
en·​do·​ther·​mic ˌen-də-ˈthər-mik How to pronounce endothermic (audio)
: characterized by or formed with absorption of heat

Medical Definition

endothermic

adjective
en·​do·​ther·​mic ˌen-də-ˈthər-mik How to pronounce endothermic (audio)
variants also endothermal
1
: characterized by or formed with absorption of heat compare exothermic
2
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!