homeotherm – an organism that maintains its body temperature at a constant level i.e. warm blooded

(Pronounced hoh-mee-uh-therm)

To remember the meaning of homeotherm, use the following mnemonic:

At home I took a video of my thermostat (homeotherm) showing that the room stayed at a constant temperature regardless of the outside temperature.

A homeotherm is an animal that maintains a constant body temperature regardless of changes in the external environmental temperature, also known as being 'warm-blooded'. This includes mammals and birds, which use internal metabolic processes to generate heat and regulate their body temperature within a narrow range that is optimal for enzyme function and cellular process. Homeotherms have various physiological mechanisms to maintain their body temperature, such as shivering to generate heat when cold, sweating or panting to lose heat when warm, and behavioural adaptations like seeking shade or shelter. They also have insulation in the form of fur, feathers, or fat layers to help retain or release heat when necessary. 

Homeotherms are able to live in diverse environmental conditions due to their ability to maintain optimum internal temperatures, however this requires a significant amount of energy, meaning they must consume more food than cold-blooded animals of a similar size.