hibernation

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the act of retiring into inactivity

   The bear emerged from hibernation to make its first appearance in several years.

2. 2
   noun

   A state of minimum power consumption, inactivity and metabolic depression in some animals during winter.

   The bears are in hibernation.

3. 3
   noun

   cessation from or slowing of activity during the winter

4. 4
   noun

   the torpid or resting state in which some animals pass the winter

5. 5
   noun

   A hypothetical state of minimum power consumption, inactivity and metabolic depression in humans during long space flights.

6. 6
   noun

   A standby state which conserves power by writing the contents of the memory to disk and completely power off the computer, in order that one will resume the session from the disk.

Etymology

From Latin hibernātus, from hibernō, from hībernus (“winter”).