Brumation
/bruːˈmeɪʃən/noun
A state of winter dormancy in reptiles and some other ectothermic animals.
Did you know?Unlike true hibernation, brumating reptiles may periodically wake to drink water, even while remaining largely inactive and refusing food.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*mreǵʰus / *mr̥ǵʰús
“A reconstructed root associated with being short or brief; it developed into Latin brevis.”
Classical Latin
Latin
brevis
“Short; brief.”
Classical Latin
Latin
bruma
“Winter, especially the shortest day or the winter solstice; traditionally understood as a contraction of brevima, “shortest.””
Late Latin
Latin
brumalis
“Of winter or wintry; derived from bruma.”
15th–16th Century
English
brumal
“Belonging to winter; wintry.”
20th Century
English
brumation
“A zoological term for winter dormancy in reptiles and other ectotherms, formed from bruma with the suffix -ation.”
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