Word
hibernate
Phoneticshi·ber·nate, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈhaɪbɝˌneɪt/
UK/hˈaɪbənˌeɪt/
Zoology
Definition
v. to sleep for a long time during the winter, or to put a computer into a deep sleep to save power. In both cases, the system stops working until it is time to wake up again.
v. to undergo a period of inactivity and metabolic depression during winter; in computing, to save the current state of the system to disk and power down. Often used metaphorically to describe a person or project that is inactive for an extended period.
Examples
“The bear will hibernate in its cave until spring.”
“To save battery life, the laptop will hibernate if you do not use it for an hour.”
“While the software was designed to hibernate during periods of low demand, the developers discovered that the process occasionally caused data corruption if interrupted by a sudden power loss.”
Examples
simple
“The bear will hibernate in its cave until spring.”
contextual
“To save battery life, the laptop will hibernate if you do not use it for an hour.”
complex
“While the software was designed to hibernate during periods of low demand, the developers discovered that the process occasionally caused data corruption if interrupted by a sudden power loss.”
Real-World Examples
“Reading about the biology of polar bears, she learned that the bears pack their ribosomes in an orderly way in their cells prior to hibernating.” “We've learned that marmots don't physiologically age when they hibernate.” Etymology
Borrowed from Latin hībernātus, perfect passive participle of hībernō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from hībernus (“wintry”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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