the maintenance of metabolic equilibrium within an animal by a tendency to compensate for disrupting changes
2.
the maintenance of equilibrium within a social group, person, etc
Derived forms
homeostatic or homoeostatic (ˌhəʊmɪəʊˈstætɪk)
adjective
homeostasis in American English
(ˌhoʊmioʊˈsteɪsɪs)
US
noun
1. Physiology
the tendency to maintain, or the maintenance of, normal, internal stability in an organism by coordinated responses of the organ systems that automatically compensate for environmental changes
2.
any analogous maintenance of stability or equilibrium, as within a social group
Derived forms
homeostatic (ˌhomeoˈstatic) (ˌhoʊmiˌoʊˈstætɪk; also ˌ hoʊiˌoʊˈˈstætɪk)
adjective
Word origin
ModL: see homeo- & stasis
Examples of 'homeostasis' in a sentence
homeostasis
/ metaorganic adaptation to existence in transit - near-perfect homeostasis.
Ursula K. Le Guin THE BIRTHDAY OF THE WORLD (2002)