acclimatory

adjective

ac·​clim·​a·​to·​ry ə-ˈklī-mə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce acclimatory (audio)
: of or relating to the physiological adjustment made by an organism to a change in its immediate environment
Land plants … have developed sophisticated mechanisms that allow for both immediate and acclimatory responses to changing environments.Stanislaw Karpinski, Science, 23 Apr. 1999
… when compared with fish and other ectothermic animals, amphibians appear to have less capacity for acclimatory change …Robert E. Ricklefs and Gary L. Miller, Ecology, 2000

Word History

Etymology

acclimate + -ory entry 2

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of acclimatory was in 1855

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Dictionary Entries Near acclimatory

Cite this Entry

“Acclimatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acclimatory. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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