water bear

noun

Examples of water bear 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.
Tardigrades, also called water bears, can withstand extreme heat, cold, pressure and radiation. Mindy Weisberger, Scientific American, 15 Aug. 2024 Often known as water bears, tardigrades are super-tough microscopic animals that can survive in some of the most extreme environments on the planet. Michael Franco, New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2024 Research has shown that water bears can survive exposure to gamma radiation at doses as high as 5,000 Gy (Gray) and, in some cases, even up to 6,200 Gy. Scott Travers, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2024 If necessary, water bears excrete all the water in their bodies while slowing their metabolism down to a near-standstill, entering what is known as a tun state. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 14 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for water bear 

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of water bear was in 1848

Dictionary Entries Near water bear

Cite this Entry

“Water bear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/water%20bear. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on water bear

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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