thermostat

[ thur-muh-stat ]
See synonyms for thermostat on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a device, including a relay actuated by thermal conduction or convection, that functions to establish and maintain a desired temperature automatically or signals a change in temperature for manual adjustment.

verb (used with object),ther·mo·stat·ted or ther·mo·stat·ed; ther·mo·stat·ting or ther·mo·stat·ing.
  1. to equip or control with a thermostat.

Origin of thermostat

1
First recorded in 1825–35; thermo- + -stat

Other words from thermostat

  • ther·mo·stat·ic, adjective
  • ther·mo·stat·i·cal·ly, adverb

Words Nearby thermostat

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use thermostat in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for thermostat

thermostat

/ (ˈθɜːməˌstæt) /


noun
  1. a device that maintains a system at a constant temperature. It often consists of a bimetallic strip that bends as it expands and contracts with temperature, thus breaking and making contact with an electrical power supply

  2. a similar device that actuates equipment, such as a sprinkler, when a certain temperature is reached

Derived forms of thermostat

  • thermostatic, adjective
  • thermostatically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for thermostat

thermostat

[ thûrmə-stăt′ ]


  1. A device that automatically controls heating or cooling equipment in such a way as to maintain a temperature at a constant level or within a specified range, generally using a thermometer capable of triggering electrical switches that activate or deactivate the equipment.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for thermostat

thermostat

A device that monitors and automatically responds to changes in temperature and activates switches controlling devices such as furnaces or air conditioners.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.