brumate
/ˈbruː.meɪt/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To spend the winter in a state of very low activity, like hibernation, but used for some animals, especially reptiles and amphibians.
- Some snakes brumate during cold months.
- The lizard will brumate indoors.
- These frogs brumate under rocks.
Adinary Nuance
Brumate is a more exact scientific word than hibernate. Writers use it for cold-blooded animals, especially reptiles and amphibians. Hibernate is broader and is often used for bears and other warm-blooded animals too. If you want the precise biology term, choose brumate.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- ngủ đông
- Spanish
- hibernar
- Chinese
- 冬眠
- Japanese
- 冬眠する
- Korean
- 동면하다
Etymology
Brumate was formed in modern scientific English from Latin bruma, meaning 'winter solstice' or 'winter'. It became useful in biology for animals that slow down in cold weather.
Common phrases
brumate for the winteranimals that brumatebrumate in cold weather
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is brumate the same as hibernate?
- Not exactly. Brumate is used more for reptiles and amphibians, while hibernate is broader.
- Is brumate a common word?
- It is a specialist biology word, not a common everyday word.
- Can I use brumate in academic writing?
- Yes. It is a good choice in scientific or academic writing about animals.
- Do people say brumate about humans?
- No. It is normally used for animals, especially cold-blooded ones.