Also spelled hybernated and hybernating

US /[ˈhɑɪbəˌnɛɪt]/ UK /ˈhaɪbə(r)ˌneɪt/
verb Freq #39829

Meanings

  1. 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. 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.

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”).

View etymology graph ->

Topics

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