thermo-, therm-, thermi-, -thermia, -therm, -thermal, -thermic, -thermias, -thermies, -thermous, -thermy

(Greek: heat, heating, heater, hot, warm)

The term heat is employed in ordinary language in different senses. Some scientists distinguish four principal applications of the term:

  1. Sensation of heat.
  2. Temperature, or degree of hotness.
  3. Quantity of thermal energy.
  4. Radiant heat, or energy of radiation.

thermosteresis
The abstraction or deprivation of heat.
thermostromuhr
An instrument for measuring the amount of blood flowing in a blood vessel, consisting of a heating element between two thermocouples applied to the outside of the vessel.
thermosystaltism, thermosystalic
Contraction, as of the muscles, under the influence of heat.
ThermosĀ®, Thermos flask; in the U.S., thermos bottle
1. A trademark for an insulated or vacuum container used to hold a liquid or food and to maintain it at a constant or original temperature.
2. Etymology: a trademark registered in Britain in 1907, invented by Sir James Dewar; patented in 1904 but not named at the time, from Greek thermos, "hot".

James Dewar built the first one in 1892, but it was first manufactured commercially in Germany in 1904, when two glass blowers formed the company Thermos GmbH.

thermotactic (adjective)
1. A reference to the movement of an organism toward or away from a source of heat.
2. The regulation of the bodily temperature.
thermotaxis (s) (noun), thermotaxes (pl)
1. Reaction of living protoplasm to the stimulus of heat.
2. Normal regulation of body heat.
3. The thermo-regulatory function of the nervous system.
4. The movement or simulation in a living body exposed to heat.
5. The directed response of a motile organism towards (positive) or away from (negative) a heat stimulus.
6. The movement of a freely moving organism in response to heat.
thermotensile
Pertaining to cohesive power as affected by temperature.
thermotension
Tension or strain applied to material at a specified temperature to increase or test its tensile power.
thermotherapeutic penetration (s) (noun), thermotherapeutic penetrations (pl)
The degree or depth to which the heating of a medical treatment is likely to extend: Dr. Simmons was trying to determine how long and to what degree the thermotherapeutic penetrations should be applied to Mrs. Johnson, her patient.
thermotherapy, thermotherapeutics
1. The branch of therapeutics concerned with the application of heat.
2. The medical treatment of an illness with the application of heat. Heat may be applied locally by radiant heating devices that give off infrared rays and by conductive heating that uses hot water bottles, paraffin baths, or moist hot packs.
thermotolerant
Enduring heat; said of bacteria whose activity is not checked or hindered by high temperature.
thermotonometer
An instrument for measuring the degree of thermosystaltism, or muscular contraction, under the influence of heat.
thermotoxin
1. A poison developed in the body by heat.
2. A poisonous material produced by living tissue as a response to heat exposure.
thermotracheotomy
In tracheotomy, an incision of the trachea by thermocautery, electric cautery, or actual cautery with the aim of limiting hemorrhage.
thermotropic (adjective)
A reference to the tendency of a plant to grow toward a source of heat.

Quiz You can find self-scoring quizzes over many of the words in this subject area by going to this Thermo- Vocabulary Quizzes page.

Related "heat, hot" word units: ferv-; pyreto-.

Related "bubble" word unit: ebulli-.