Hybernate
/ˈhaɪ.bər.neɪt/noun
A variant spelling of hibernate, meaning to pass the winter in a dormant or inactive state.
Did you know?Hibernate ultimately comes from Latin hiems, meaning “winter,” a season the Romans personified as a powerful force of cold and dormancy.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ǵʰeyem-
“Winter or the cold season”
Ancient Greek
Greek
kheîma
“Winter, storm, or wintry weather”
Classical Latin
Latin
hiems
“Winter”
Classical Latin
Latin
hibernare
“To spend the winter”
Late Latin
Latin
hibernatio
“Wintering or spending the winter”
17th Century
English
hibernate
“To pass the winter in a dormant state”
Modern English
English
hybernate
“An established but uncommon variant spelling of hibernate”