estivate
verb
es·ti·vate
ˈe-stə-ˌvāt 
variants
or aestivate
estivated or aestivated; estivating or aestivating; estivates or aestivates
1
zoology
: to pass the summer in a state of torpor or dormancy
Snails combat desiccation by estivating, that is, burrowing into the mud and sealing up the shell with mucus until conditions improve.—
Mark Woolhouse
compare hibernate
Mark Woolhouse2
: to spend the summer usually at one place
… I asked him to Skype in from the Connecticut coastline, where he is estivating while on a prestigious writing fellowship …—Glen Weldon
Glen WeldonExamples of estivate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Depending on the species, African lungfish estivate after burrowing into the soil to find permanent moisture, or even secreting their own comfy mucus onesie.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 13 Mar. 2019
Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 13 Mar. 2019
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'estivate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near estivate
Cite this Entry
“Estivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/estivate. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share