Acclimation

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /æk.ləˈmeɪ.ʃən/

Definitions

1. The process by which an organism gradually adapts to changes in its environment or climate
2. An adjustment period allowing living beings to become accustomed to different atmospheric or environmental conditions
3. The gradual adaptation of an individual or species to new weather or surroundings to maintain normal function

Etymology: Acclimation is a plain formation: the verb "acclimate" with the suffix "-ion" attached, creating a noun for the process of becoming accustomed to a new climate or conditions. The verb "acclimate" was itself built from the French "acclimater", which combines "à" ("to") with "climat" ("climate"), so the whole chain rests on the Greek "klima", meaning "slope" or "region", since ancient geographers used it for bands of latitude sloping toward the pole. The noun is first recorded in 1801. Its meaning has widened over time: where the word once described a plant or animal being adapted to a new region, it now also covers people adjusting to altitude, heat, or an unfamiliar workplace.

Synonyms: adaptation, adjustment

Antonyms: disorientation