basal metabolism

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun The minimum amount of energy required to maintain vital functions in an organism at complete rest, measured by the basal metabolic rate in a fasting individual who is awake and resting in a comfortably warm environment.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• noun the amount of energy required to maintain the body of an individual in a resting state