homeostasis

noun

ho·meo·sta·sis | \ 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 striving to achieve homeostasis

Other Words from homeostasis More Example Sentences Learn More About homeostasis

Examples of homeostasis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web And then, of course, there is the problem of homeostasis. — Arthur C. Brooks, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2021 Before the pair got to jump, the oxygen system that is required to use at that altitude malfunctioned, and suddenly everyone began to experience hypoxia, which means that there wasn’t enough oxygen present for homeostasis to occur in body tissue. — Chanel Stitt, Detroit Free Press, 1 Nov. 2021 There’s homeostasis, there’s reproduction, there’s metabolism, and so on. — Quanta Magazine, 30 Sep. 2021 From a plant perspective, tea and cannabis both contain phytochemicals that cross the blood-brain barrier that have an impact on your mood and homeostasis. — Jackie Bryant, Forbes, 11 Sep. 2021 And Tobler added a criterion of her own, drawn from her work with rats: A sleeping animal that has been disturbed will later sleep longer or more deeply than usual, a phenomenon called sleep homeostasis. — Quanta Magazine, 18 May 2021 By calibrating levels of both these states based on your life's circumstances, your autonomic nervous system is designed to foster homeostasis, or a state of equilibrium. — Dana Santas, CNN, 30 June 2021 Testing whether the jellyfish had sleep homeostasis was much harder and required finding ways to gently disturb them without distressing them. — Quanta Magazine, 18 May 2021 Likewise, healthy sleep habits that foster physical homeostasis and more efficient immune system functioning also significantly reduce our risk for depression, anxiety and bipolar illness. — Jessica L. Borelli, Scientific American, 7 Apr. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'homeostasis.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Learn More About homeostasis

Dictionary Entries Near homeostasis

homeosmotic

homeostasis

homeothermic

Statistics for homeostasis

Last Updated

8 Nov 2021

Cite this Entry

“Homeostasis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homeostasis. Accessed 30 Nov. 2021.

Style: MLA

MLA

Chicago

APA

Merriam-Webster Check Mark Icon

More Definitions for homeostasis

homeostasis

noun

ho·meo·sta·sis

variants: or British homoeostasis \ ˌhō-mē-ō-ˈstā-səs

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

Other Words from homeostasis

homeostatic or British homoeostatic \ -ˈstat-ik

\ adjective

homeostatically or British homoeostatically \ -i-k(ə-)lē

\ adjective