homeostasis

IPA/ˌhəʊmiəˈsteɪsɪs/
KK[hˌomiostˈesəs]IPA/ˌhəʊmiəˈsteɪsɪs/

homeostasis — noun

1. The natural process by which a living organism or biological system keeps its in

1.nounB2
Definition

The natural process by which a living organism or biological system keeps its internal conditions — such as body temperature, blood sugar, or pH levels — stable and within a healthy range, no matter how the outside environment changes.

Example

Beatrix's body relies on homeostasis to keep her blood sugar steady after a large meal.

collocation: relies on homeostasis to keep [condition] steady

During a fever, homeostasis is the mechanism that returns the body's internal temperature to normal.

homeostasis is the mechanism that returns [condition] to normal

Common collocations
  • maintain homeostasis
  • regulate homeostasis
  • restore homeostasis
  • disrupt homeostasis
  • the body's homeostasis
Synonyms
  • equilibrium

    broader term used in physics, chemistry, and economics; lacks the active biological self-regulation that homeostasis implies

  • balance

    everyday word that captures the same core idea but is far less precise in scientific contexts

  • steady state

    technical term from systems theory describing a system whose variables stay constant over time

Antonyms
  • disequilibrium

    a state where the normal balance of a biological system is disturbed

  • imbalance

    general term for a lack of healthy internal conditions

Grammar Patterns

maintain / regulate / restore homeostasis

homeostasis + verb (keeps, restores, maintains)

Usage Note

Common in biology and medical writing. The word is uncountable — avoid 'a homeostasis' or 'homeostases' in standard academic English.

Common Mistakes

The body works hard to homeostasize its temperature.
The body works hard to maintain homeostasis in its temperature.
There is no verb form of 'homeostasis'; use 'maintain', 'regulate', or 'restore' before the noun.

Word family

  • homeostatic
    adjectiveC1
  • homeostatically
    adverbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three words describe a condition where forces or elements are in a stable relationship. 'Homeostasis' is the most specific of the group — it refers only to the self-correcting processes that keep a living organism's internal environment stable. 'Equilibrium' is far broader, appearing in physics (thermal equilibrium), chemistry (chemical equilibrium), and economics (market equilibrium); it does not imply an active regulatory mechanism. 'Balance' is the most useful everyday word — you can balance a diet or a budget — but it lacks the precision of 'homeostasis' in scientific writing. 'Steady state' is a technical term used for any system whose conditions remain constant over time, whether biological, mechanical, or ecological. For example, a researcher studying how the human kidney maintains fluid homeostasis would not use 'equilibrium' or 'balance' to describe the same process.

equilibrium ↗balance ↗steady state

Common collocations

Nouns

  • kidneys
  • liver
  • brain
  • blood sugar
  • body temperature
  • pH level
  • fluid balance
  • feedback loop
  • endocrine system

Adverbs

Phrases

  • return to homeostasis
  • disruption of homeostasis
  • restoration of homeostasis

Prepositions

Etymology

Ancient GreekModern English (coined 1926)

Coined in 1926 by the American physiologist Walter Cannon from Ancient Greek roots: 'homoios' (same, similar) and 'stasis' (standing still, a staying). Cannon built on the earlier concept of the 'milieu intérieur' (internal environment), developed by the 19th-century French scientist Claude Bernard. The term was created to describe how organisms keep their internal conditions stable and self-regulated.

First known use

1926

1926, in the meaning defined above