estivate

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈestəveɪt/ UK /ˈiːstɪveɪt/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to spend a hot or dry period in a dormant or inactive state

Some land snails estivate inside sealed shells until the rains return.
2

verb
rare or humorous: to spend the summer in a particular place

The professor planned to estivate at a quiet cottage on the coast.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to spend a hot or dry... aestivatesummer-dormantenter torpor

2 verb · rare or humorous: to spend... summerspend the summer

Opposites

hibernateremain active

Word family

Derived forms estivationestivator

Related forms aestivatedormancytorpor hibernate

Etymology

From Latin aestivare, 'to spend the summer,' based on aestivus, 'of summer,' and aestas, 'summer.' Estivate is the usual US spelling; aestivate is common in British English. Zoology specialized the verb for summer or dry-season dormancy, the warm-weather counterpart of hibernation.

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

# estivate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈestəveɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈiːstɪveɪt/

## Meanings
1. to spend a hot or dry period in a dormant or inactive state
2. rare or humorous: to spend the summer in a particular place

## Examples
- Some land snails estivate inside sealed shells until the rains return.
- The professor planned to estivate at a quiet cottage on the coast.

## Synonyms
- aestivate
- summer-dormant
- enter torpor
- summer
- spend the summer

## Antonyms
- hibernate
- remain active

## Derived Forms
- estivation
- estivator

## Related Forms
- aestivate
- dormancy
- torpor
- hibernate

## Etymology
From Latin aestivare, 'to spend the summer,' based on aestivus, 'of summer,' and aestas, 'summer.' Estivate is the usual US spelling; aestivate is common in British English. Zoology specialized the verb for summer or dry-season dormancy, the warm-weather counterpart of hibernation.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

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