Meanings
noundiapause (countable and uncountable, plural diapauses)
plural diapauses
- countableuncountablebiologyA temporary pause in the growth and development of an organism due to adverse environmental conditions (especially in insects and in the embryos of many of the oviparous species of fish in the order Cyprinodontiformes)
verbdiapause (third-person singular simple present diapauses, present participle diapausing, simple past and past participle diapaused)
present singular third person diapauses · participle present diapausing · participle past diapaused · past diapaused
- intransitiveTo undergo diapause.
Origin
- Ancient Greekδιάπαυσις“pause, cessation”
- Englishdiapause
From Ancient Greek διάπαυσις (diápausis, “pause, cessation”). By surface analysis, dia- + -pause.
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish diapaussi
- diapaussia temporary pause in the growth and development of an organism
French diapause
- diapausea temporary pause in the growth and development of an organism
German Dormanz, Diapause
- Dormanza temporary pause in the growth and development of an organism
- Diapausea temporary pause in the growth and development of an organism
Hungarian diapauza
- diapauzaa temporary pause in the growth and development of an organism
Romanian diapauză
- diapauzăa temporary pause in the growth and development of an organism
Swedish diapaus
- diapausa temporary pause in the growth and development of an organism
Cite this entry
APA
diapause. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/diapause
MLA
“diapause.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/diapause. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “diapause,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/diapause.
Source: diapause on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.