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Homeostasis: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Homeostasis noun. A living thing’s way of keeping its inner conditions, such as temperature, steady.
How to say it
hoh-mee-oh-STAY-sis/ˌhəʊmɪə(ʊ)ˈsteɪsɪs/
5 syllables, stressed on the fourth (STAY).
Homeostasis in a sentence
Shivering is homeostasis at work, warming you up when you’re cold.
The office had its own homeostasis: every new idea was slowly undone.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- balance
- equilibrium
- stability
Where homeostasis comes from
Coined by the American physiologist Walter Cannon in 1926, from Greek homoios, like, and stasis, standing.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
The office had its own _____: every new idea was slowly undone.
- proprioception
- acnestis
- homeostasis
Show the answer
homeostasis: The office had its own homeostasis: every new idea was slowly undone.