Acclimations

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Adaptations to new environmental conditions or climates; processes by which individuals or species adjust physiologically or behaviorally to changes in their surroundings; reactions to altered settings, leading to enhanced survival and functioning in different climates or circumstances
2. Changes in physical responses or behaviors as one becomes accustomed to a different environment; adjustments in an organism's physiology or behavior to better cope with new climatic conditions; the means by which living beings improve their chances of thriving after facing unfamiliar environments
3. The process of becoming familiar with and adjusting to a new climate or environment; the physiological or behavioral changes that enhance an organism's ability to thrive in different settings; modifications made in response to variability in surroundings to optimize adaptability and survival

Etymology: "Acclimations" is the plural of "acclimation," the noun for the process of adjusting to a new climate or surroundings. Its roots are in "acclimate," which is built from the Latin "clima," meaning a zone of the earth defined by its latitude and therefore its climate. The Greek "klima" had the same sense of a slope or inclination, referring to the angle of the sun's rays at different latitudes. The noun was formed by adding the suffix "-ion" to "acclimate," a standard pattern for turning a verb into a noun describing the action or result. It was first recorded in English in 1801, and the plural form follows the usual rule for counting separate instances of the process.