Cold-blooded

Cold-blooded

Cold-blooded is a loose layman's term often used to refer to animals that do not use their metabolism to maintain body temperature. It is typically associated with at least one of three different thermophysiological characteristics:

  • ectothermy, controlling body temperature through external means, such as by basking in the sun;
  • poikilothermy, the ability of an organism to function over a wide internal temperature range;
  • bradymetabolism, the ability to greatly alter metabolic rate in response to need; for example, animals that hibernate;

Cold-blooded may also refer to:

See also


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  • cold-blooded — adj 1.) not showing or involving any emotions or pity for other people s suffering ▪ a cold blooded killer ▪ cold blooded murder 2.) a cold blooded animal, such as a snake, has a body temperature that changes with the temperature of the air or… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • cold-blooded — I adjective aloof, barbarous, brutal, brutish, calculated, calculating, callous, cold, cold hearted, cruel, cruel hearted, deliberate, demoniac, devilish, diabolic, dispassionate, feelingless, fiendish, frigid, hard, hardhearted, hardened,… …   Law dictionary

  • cold-blooded — cold′ blood′ed or cold′blood′ed adj. 1) zool. of or designating animals, as fishes and reptiles, whose blood temperature ranges from the freezing point upward, in accordance with the temperature of the surrounding medium 2) done or acting without …   From formal English to slang

  • cold blooded — also cold blooded; 1590s, of persons, without emotion, unfeeling; of actions, from 1828. The phrase refers to the old notion that blood temperature rose with excitement. In the literal sense, of reptiles, etc., from c.1600 …   Etymology dictionary

  • cold-blooded — [adj] cruel, heartless barbarous, brutal, callous, cold, dispassionate, hard boiled, hardened, hard hearted, imperturbable, inhuman, matter of fact, merciless, obdurate, pitiless, relentless, ruthless, savage, steely, stony hearted,… …   New thesaurus

  • cold-blooded — cold bloodedly, adv. cold bloodedness, n. /kohld blud id/, adj. 1. designating or pertaining to animals, as fishes and reptiles, whose blood temperature ranges from the freezing point upward, in accordance with the temperature of the surrounding… …   Universalium

  • Cold-blooded — Cold blood ed, a. 1. Having cold blood; said of fish or animals whose blood is but little warmer than the water or air about them. [1913 Webster] 2. Deficient in sensibility or feeling; hard hearted. [1913 Webster] 3. Not thoroughbred; said of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • cold-blooded — ► ADJECTIVE 1) (of animals, e.g. reptiles and fish) having a body whose temperature varies with that of the environment. 2) without emotion; callous. DERIVATIVES cold bloodedly adverb cold bloodedness noun …   English terms dictionary

  • cold-blooded — cold blood|ed [ ,kould blʌdəd ] adjective 1. ) deliberately cruel and showing no emotion 2. ) cold blooded animals have a body temperature that changes to suit their environment …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • cold-blooded — 1) ADJ GRADED (disapproval) Someone who is cold blooded does not show any pity or emotion. ...a cold blooded murderer... This was a brutal and cold blooded killing. Derived words: cold bloodedly ADV GRADED usu ADV with v He hated whites from the… …   English dictionary

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