verb
- to spend the summer in a dormant or inactive state, especially to survive hot or dry conditions
Usage: biology; also spelled ‘estivate’
Examples
- Many desert animals aestivate during the hottest months of the year.
- Snails aestivate by sealing themselves in their shells when conditions become too dry.
- The lungfish can aestivate in mud for months during drought periods.
- Some reptiles aestivate underground to escape extreme summer heat.
- Certain insects aestivate to conserve energy when food becomes scarce.
- The tortoise will aestivate in its burrow until cooler weather returns.