thermostat

¹ther·mo·stat

noun \ˈthər-mə-ˌstat\

Definition of THERMOSTAT

: an automatic device for regulating temperature (as by controlling the supply of gas or electricity to a heating apparatus); also : a similar device for actuating fire alarms or for controlling automatic sprinklers

— ther·mo·stat·ic \ˌthər-mə-ˈsta-tik\ adjective

— ther·mo·stat·i·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Examples of THERMOSTAT

1. I set the thermostat to 68 degrees.

First Known Use of THERMOSTAT

1831

Rhymes with THERMOSTAT

acrobat, aerobat, aerostat, alley cat, apparat, Ararat, arrive at, assignat, autocrat, Automat, bell the cat, big brown bat, bureaucrat, butterfat, caveat, cervelat, chew the fat, civet cat, concordat, coolie hat, copycat, cowboy hat, democrat, diplomat, Dixiecrat, Eurocrat, fungo bat, habitat, hang one's hat, jungle cat, Kattegat, kleptocrat, Laundromat, leopard cat, marrowfat, mobocrat, monocrat, Montserrat, Norway rat, ochlocrat, off the bat, opera hat, pas de quatre, Persian cat, photostat, pit-a-pat, plutocrat, poke fun at, pussycat, railroad flat, rat-a-tat, rheostat, scaredy-cat, semimatte, shovel hat, smell a rat, spoonbill cat, take aim at, technocrat, theocrat, tiger cat, Uniate, vampire bat, water rat, welcome mat, where it's at, ziggurat

²thermostat

transitive verb

thermostat·ed \-ˌsta-təd\ also thermostat·tedthermostat·ing also thermostat·ting

Definition of THERMOSTAT

: to provide with or control the temperature of by a thermostat

First Known Use of THERMOSTAT

1924

thermostat

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Device that detects temperature changes for the purpose of maintaining the temperature of an enclosed area essentially constant. The thermostat generates signals, usually electrical, to activate relays, valves, switches, and so on when the temperature rises above or falls below the desired value. Thermostats are used to control the flow of fuel to a burner, of electric current to a heating or cooling unit, or of a heated or cooled gas or liquid into the area it serves. They are also used in fire-detection warning systems.