aestivate
/ˈiː.stɪ.veɪt/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To spend the hot, dry season in a state of rest or inactivity. Animals do this to save energy and avoid heat.
- Some snails aestivate during the dry season.
- The frog aestivated under the mud.
- Certain insects aestivate to survive summer heat.
Adinary Nuance
Aestivate is a scientific word, so it is much less common than “hibernate” or “sleep.” Use it for animals that rest in hot weather, not cold weather. If you mean a person relaxing in summer, “rest” or “laze” sounds more natural.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- ngủ hè
- Spanish
- estivar
- Chinese
- 夏眠
- Japanese
- 夏眠する
- Korean
- 하절 휴면하다
Etymology
From Latin aestivare, from aestivus meaning “summer.” It entered English in the 19th century, first in science writing.
Common phrases
aestivate in the heataestivating animalsgo into aestivation
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is aestivate a common English word?
- No. It is a rare scientific word, mostly used in biology and zoology.
- What is the difference between aestivate and hibernate?
- Aestivate means to rest in hot, dry weather. Hibernate means to rest in cold weather.
- Can I use aestivate for people?
- Usually no. It is mainly used for animals, insects, and other living things in science writing.
- Is aestivate formal or informal?
- It is formal and technical. In everyday English, people usually say “rest” or “stay inactive.”