1. Dormancy induced by low humidity or by drying out: The seeds of many desert plants go into a state of anhydrobiosis when there is no rainfall for an extended period of time.
2. A state caused by dehydration, in which an organism's metabolism (rate of bodily function) is reduced to an imperceptible level: Dr. Sneed, the veterinarian, was very concerned about the extreme state of anhydrobioses in the dog that was brought into his office because its body processes were barely detectable.