homeostasis
UK /ˌhɒmɪə(ʊ)ˈsteɪsɪs/ · US /ˌhoʊ.mi.oʊˈsteɪ.sɪs/ noun
Forms homeostases homoeostasis homœostasis
- noun (physiology) The ability of a system or living organism to adjust its internal environment to maintain a state of dynamic constancy; such as the ability of warm-blooded animals to maintain a stable temperature.
- noun Such a dynamic equilibrium or balance.
Etymology
Coined from Ancient Greek ὅμοιος (hómoios, “similar, the same”) + -stasis by Walter Bradford Cannon, from Ancient Greek στάσις (stásis, “standing, state”).
Sources: Wiktionary — from the Wiktionary entry “homeostasis”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details