Meaning & use
endothermic
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivenot comparabletechnicalchemistryphysics
Describing a chemical reaction or process that takes in heat from its surroundings.
Grammar: Not usually used with more or most; a reaction is either endothermic or not.
Patterns
- an endothermic reaction
- endothermic process
- endothermic change
Melting ice is an endothermic process because it absorbs heat.
The students measured the temperature drop during the endothermic reaction.
Photosynthesis is an endothermic reaction that takes in energy from sunlight.
adjectivenot comparabletechnicalbiology
Describing an animal that produces its own body heat internally, rather than relying on its environment.
Grammar: Used mainly in biology; contrasts with ectothermic, which describes animals that rely on external heat.
Patterns
- endothermic animals
- endothermic species
Birds and mammals are endothermic, so they can stay active in cold weather.
The endothermic nature of mammals allows them to maintain a constant body temperature.
Common combinations
- endothermic reaction
- An endothermic reaction absorbs heat from the surroundings.
- endothermic process
- Evaporation is an endothermic process.
- highly endothermic
- The reaction is highly endothermic and requires constant heating.
- endothermic animals
- Endothermic animals generate their own body heat.
Synonyms and how they differ
- heat-absorbing
- A general descriptive phrase that means the same but is not the technical term used in chemistry.
- warm-blooded
- An everyday term for endothermic animals, but it is less precise and not used for chemical reactions.
Opposites
Word family
- endotherm noun
- An endothermic animal.
- endothermically adverb
- In a way that involves absorbing heat.
- endothermy noun
- The state or ability of being endothermic.
Commonly confused: endothermic or exothermic? endothermic or ectothermic?
endothermic vs exothermic
Exothermic means releasing heat, while endothermic means absorbing heat. They are opposites.
endothermic vs ectothermic
Ectothermic animals rely on external heat, while endothermic animals produce their own heat.
Practice
Which reaction is endothermic?
Choose one answer.
Endothermic reactions absorb heat from the surroundings, often making the container feel cold. Option A describes an exothermic reaction, and options C and D do not define endothermic.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “endothermic”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.