How Do You Spell POIKILOTHERMISM?

Pronunciation: [pˈɔ͡ɪkɪlˌʌðəmˌɪzəm] (IPA)

Poikilothermism is a biological term that describes the regulation of body temperature by cold-blooded animals, such as reptiles and fish. The spelling of this complicated word can be broken down using IPA phonetic transcription: /pɔɪkɪləʊθərˌmɪzəm/. The first syllable, "poi," rhymes with joy, while the second syllable, "ki," sounds like key. The third syllable, "lo," is pronounced like low. The fourth syllable, "ther," sounds like their, and the final syllable, "mism," rhymes with schism.

POIKILOTHERMISM Meaning and Definition

1. Poikilothermism is a biological term that refers to the physiological state in which an organism's body temperature varies with the temperature of its environment. Also known as ectothermy, this characteristic is observed in numerous species, such as reptiles, amphibians, and fish, as well as certain invertebrates.

   In poikilothermic animals, unlike in warm-blooded endotherms (such as birds and mammals), the regulation of body temperature is reliant on external heat sources. These organisms are unable to generate enough metabolic heat to maintain a stable and constant body temperature like mammals and birds do. Instead, they adopt behavioral mechanisms to control their body temperature, such as basking in the sun to raise their temperature or seeking shade to cool down.

   The term "poikilothermism" comes from the Greek words "poikilos," meaning "varied" or "changeable," and "thermos," meaning "heat." It brings attention to the flexible nature of these organisms' body temperature compared to the more stable internal body temperatures seen in endotherms.

   Poikilothermism allows organisms to effectively adapt to a wide range of environmental conditions and conserve energy. However, it also means that these organisms are susceptible to rapid changes in temperature in their surroundings, which can impact their metabolism, activity levels, and overall physiological functions.

   Overall, poikilothermism represents an important biological strategy employed by numerous species to survive and thrive in diverse habitats by synchronizing their body temperature to the surrounding environment.

2. Pecilothermism.

   A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Common Misspellings for POIKILOTHERMISM

• ooikilothermism
• loikilothermism
• -oikilothermism
• 0oikilothermism
• piikilothermism
• pkikilothermism
• plikilothermism
• ppikilothermism
• p0ikilothermism
• p9ikilothermism
• poukilothermism
• pojkilothermism
• pokkilothermism
• pookilothermism
• po9kilothermism
• po8kilothermism
• poijilothermism
• poimilothermism
• poililothermism
• poioilothermism

Etymology of POIKILOTHERMISM

The word "poikilothermism" is derived from two Greek roots: "poikilos" meaning "varied" or "diverse", and "thermē" meaning "heat".

The term "poikilothermism" refers to the characteristic of animals that cannot regulate their internal body temperature independently but instead rely on external sources like the environment. Such animals have body temperatures that fluctuate or vary according to the ambient temperature, hence the use of the term "poikilos" to denote variation. The suffix "-thermism" is derived from the Greek root "thermē", which indicates heat or temperature. Thus, "poikilothermism" literally means "varied heat" or "varying temperature".