Agency Dictionary

Homeostasis

nounPronunciation: /ˌhoʊ.mi.oʊˈsteɪ.sɪs/

In Portuguese: Homeostase

Science & Health

What does “Homeostasis” mean?

The state of steady internal, physical, and chemical conditions maintained by living systems or dynamic organizations through coordinated self-regulating physiological or operational adjustments.

Etymology

Coined by the American physiologist Walter Bradford Cannon, in a paper of 1926, from Greek homoios, "similar, the same", and stasis, "standing, state". Cannon wanted a name for the way a living body keeps its internal conditions steady through coordinated adjustments. The word was later carried over to other self-regulating systems, such as ecosystems, machines and organizations.

Usage note

The stress falls on -sta-. British texts sometimes use the spelling homoeostasis. Homeostasis is a dynamic balance kept by constant correction, not a fixed state.

Synonyms

equilibrium
balance
self-regulation
stability
steady state

Word family

homeostatic
homeostatically
stasis

Rhymes with

basis
oasis

Source editions

Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.

Issue.24 - Boiling Red CobaltMay 17, 2024Read the edition

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