overwinter
Americanverb (used without object)
verb
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(intr) to spend winter (in or at a particular place)
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(tr) to keep (animals or plants) alive through the winter
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(intr) (of an animal or plant) to remain alive throughout the winter
Etymology
Origin of overwinter
First recorded in 1890–95; over- + winter, replacing Old English oferwintran “to get through the winter,” which had become obsolete by the end of the Old English period (around 1150), and modeled on Norwegian and Danish overvintre, Swedish övervintra, Dutch overwinteren, or German überwintern
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Early nesting birds have lost eggs, and conservationists warn spring may bring noticeably fewer butterflies and insects as floodwaters have swept away eggs and overwintering larvae.
From BBC
McKenzie will be based at BAS's headquarters in Cambridge for the remainder of the year, but he has previously overwintered in Antarctica.
From BBC
The number of western monarch butterflies overwintering along the California coast continues to remain near historic lows, according to a new annual count.
From Los Angeles Times
A 2021 study found that the boreal forests of Alaska and Canada in the winter are particularly prone to these types of rekindled fires, which are also known as overwintering or “zombie” fires.
From Los Angeles Times
Recent surveys identify "poor queens" as the most common explanation for overwintering losses.
From Science Daily
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
