noun
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hibernation
heye-buh-NAY-shuhn
Hibernation (noun) means a state of greatly reduced activity and metabolism that some animals enter during winter. Example: “The dormouse spends nearly six months a year in hibernation.”
noun
1
A state of greatly reduced activity and metabolism that some animals enter during winter.
"The bears are in hibernation."
"The dormouse spends nearly six months a year in hibernation."
"The bears come out of hibernation in March."
2
A computer power-saving mode that saves the current session to disk before shutting down.
"Hibernation lets you resume exactly where you left off, even after a full power-off."
How to use hibernation
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe state of being dormant through winter, or the equivalent power-saving state on a computer.
Common pairings
go into hibernation
a period of hibernation
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Word forms
- Plural
- hibernations
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The dormouse spends nearly six months a year in _____.
Etymology
From Latin "hibernatus," from "hiberno," from "hibernus" ("wintry").
Rhymes for hibernation
region
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
selection
See all rhymes for hibernation →
Frequently asked questions
What does “hibernation” mean?
The word “hibernation” means a state of greatly reduced activity and metabolism that some animals enter during winter. In plain terms, the state of being dormant through winter, or the equivalent power-saving state on a computer.
How do you pronounce “hibernation”?
“Hibernation” is pronounced heye-buh-NAY-shuhn (/ˌhaɪ.bəɹˈneɪ.ʃən/ in IPA).
How do you use “hibernation” in a sentence?
Here is “hibernation” used in a sentence: “The dormouse spends nearly six months a year in hibernation.”
What part of speech is “hibernation”?
“Hibernation” is a noun.
Where does the word “hibernation” come from?
The word “hibernation” comes from Latin. From Latin "hibernatus," from "hiberno," from "hibernus" ("wintry").
How many meanings does “hibernation” have?
“Hibernation” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a state of greatly reduced activity and metabolism that some animals enter during winter.
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