Definitions

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

  • intransitive verb To be in a dormant or torpid state during a cold period, especially during the winter.
  • intransitive verb To be in an inactive or dormant state or period.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To winter; pass the season of winter in close quarters or in seclusion, and generally in a torpid condition, as some animals.
  • Figuratively, to remain in seclusion; pass the time torpidly or apathetically.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • intransitive verb To winter; to pass the season of winter in close quarters, in a torpid or lethargic state, as certain mammals, reptiles, and insects.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb intransitive To spend winter time in hibernation.
  • verb intransitive (computing) To enter a standby state which conserves power without losing the contents of memory.

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

  • verb sleep during winter
  • verb be in an inactive or dormant state

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin hībernāre, hībernāt-, to winter, from hībernus, relating to winter; see ghei- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin hibernatus, from hibernō, from hībernus ("winter").

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