homeostasis

ho·meo·sta·sis

noun \ˌhō-mē-ō-ˈstā-səs\

Definition of HOMEOSTASIS

: a relatively stable state of equilibrium or a tendency toward such a state between the different but interdependent elements or groups of elements of an organism, population, or group

— ho·meo·stat·ic \-ˈsta-tik\ adjective

Origin of HOMEOSTASIS

New Latin

First Known Use: 1926

Other Psychology Terms

fetish, hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, psychosis, schadenfreude, subliminal

ho·meo·sta·sis

noun    (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of HOMEOSTASIS

: the maintenance of relatively stable internal physiological conditions (as body temperature or the pH of blood) in higher animals under fluctuating environmental conditions; also : the process of maintaining a stable psychological state in the individual under varying psychological pressures or stable social conditions in a group under varying social, environmental, or political factors

—ho·meo·stat·ic or British ho·moeo·stat·ic \-ˈstat-ik\ (audio pronunciation) adjective

—ho·meo·stat·i·cal·ly or British ho·moeo·stat·i·cal·ly \-i-k(ə-)lē\ (audio pronunciation) adjective

Variants of HOMEOSTASIS

ho·meo·sta·sis or British ho·moeo·sta·sis \ˌhō-mē-ō-ˈstā-səs\ (audio pronunciation)

homeostasis

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Any self-regulating process by which a biological or mechanical system maintains stability while adjusting to changing conditions. Systems in dynamic equilibrium reach a balance in which internal change continuously compensates for external change in a feedback control process to keep conditions relatively uniform. An example is temperature regulation—mechanically in a room by a thermostat or biologically in the body by a complex system controlled by the hypothalamus, which adjusts breathing and metabolic rates, blood-vessel dilation, and blood-sugar level in response to changes caused by factors including ambient temperature, hormones, and disease.