hibernate

C1 Topic:Actions & Processes

Also spelled hybernated and hybernating

US [ˈhɑɪbəˌnɛɪt] UK /ˈhaɪbə(r)ˌneɪt/ See IPA manual

Freq #39829

Meanings

1

verb
(Of some animals) to spend the winter in a deep sleep-like state to save energy.

Bears eat as much as they can before they hibernate for the winter.
2

verb
(Of a computer) to enter a low-power state that saves your work without fully shutting down.

My laptop hibernates automatically when the battery gets low.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · (of some animals) to spend... hole up

Word family

Forms hibernatedhibernateshibernating

Derived forms nonhibernating

Related forms hibernaclehibernaculumhibernalhibernationhibernatoroversummeroverwinter

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin hībernātus, perfect passive participle of hībernō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from hībernus (“wintry”).

*ǵʰey- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# hibernate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** [ˈhɑɪbəˌnɛɪt]
**IPA (UK):** /ˈhaɪbə(r)ˌneɪt/
**Frequency rank:** 39829

## Meanings
1. (Of some animals) to spend the winter in a deep sleep-like state to save energy.
2. (Of a computer) to enter a low-power state that saves your work without fully shutting down.

## Examples
- Bears eat as much as they can before they hibernate for the winter.
- My laptop hibernates automatically when the battery gets low.

## Derived Forms
- nonhibernating

## Related Forms
- hibernacle
- hibernaculum
- hibernal
- hibernation
- hibernator
- oversummer
- overwinter

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *ǵʰey-

## Etymology
Borrowed from Latin hībernātus, perfect passive participle of hībernō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from hībernus (“wintry”).

## AI Etymology
Hibernate is borrowed from Latin hībernātus, perfect passive participle of hībernō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from hībernus (“wintry”). In present-day use, it can mean to spend the winter in a deep sleep-like state to save energy, or to enter a low-power state that saves your work without fully shutting down. Derived formations include nonhibernating.

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

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