homeostasis: Meaning and Definition of

ho•me•o•sta•sis

Pronunciation: (hō"mē-u-stā'sis), [key]
— n.
  1. the tendency of a system, esp. the physiological system of higher animals, to maintain internal stability, owing to the coordinated response of its parts to any situation or stimulus tending to disturb its normal condition or function.
  2. a state of psychological equilibrium obtained when tension or a drive has been reduced or eliminated.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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