autothermy
|au-to-ther-my|
🇺🇸
/ˌɔːtəˈθɜrmi/
🇬🇧
/ˌɔːtəˈθɜːmi/
self-generated heat
Etymology
'autothermy' originates from Greek, specifically the elements 'autos' and 'thermos', where 'autos' meant 'self' and 'thermos' meant 'heat'.
'autothermy' was formed in modern scientific English from Greek roots (via New Latin and usage in 19th–20th century physiological literature) and established as a technical term referring to self-generated heat.
Initially it literally meant 'self-heat', but over time it evolved into the current physiological sense of 'internal production of heat to regulate body temperature'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the physiological ability of an organism to maintain body temperature by producing heat internally (synonymous with endothermy in many contexts).
Autothermy allows some mammals and birds to remain active in cold environments.
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Noun 2
the localized or behavioral generation of heat by an organism (for example, pre-flight muscle warming in some insects) rather than passive dependence on ambient temperature.
Studies of certain moths describe autothermy in the thoracic muscles used to warm up before flight.
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Last updated: 2025/11/29 05:20