endothermic

adjective

en·​do·​ther·​mic ˌen-də-ˈthər-mik 

1

: characterized by or formed with absorption of heat

2

: warm-blooded

Examples of endothermic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Looking at fossil structures across latitudes provided insight into whether the animals there were ectothermic or endothermic. —Danny Robb, JSTOR Daily, 8 Feb. 2025

So the scientists centered on endothermic sharks, which have some warm-blooded capabilities. —Evan Bush, NBC News, 3 Sep. 2024

Mammals like the orca were ruled out due to having warmer temperature readings, so the scientists focused on endothermic sharks. —Stephen Sorace, Fox News, 4 Sep. 2024

The mako shark, for example, is the fastest shark and partly endothermic. —John Timmer, Ars Technica, 26 June 2023

With the tooth data, the researchers concluded that the megalodon had been endothermic, after all, and had benefitted greatly from the ability. —Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 26 June 2023

The finding also raises an intriguing paradox about how the warm-blooded Megalodon (a new research study that Shimada was also a part of) managed to expend the high level of metabolic heat associated with its endothermic nature without being an active swimmer. —Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes, 17 July 2023

But a handful of them—including great white sharks, thresher sharks and mako sharks—are regionally endothermic, just like the megalodon was. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2023

Birds adapted to be endothermic, or warm-blooded. —Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 14 Feb. 2020

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for endothermic

• exothermic
• hypodermic
• hypothermic
• thermic

Kids Definition

endothermic

adjective

en·​do·​ther·​mic ˌen-də-ˈthər-mik 

: characterized by or formed with absorption of heat

Medical Definition

endothermic

adjective

en·​do·​ther·​mic ˌen-də-ˈthər-mik 

variants also endothermal

-məl 

1

: characterized by or formed with absorption of heat compare exothermic

2

: warm-blooded