Last name: Franklin. This interesting old status name has its origins in the feudal system of medieval England. It derives from the Middle English frankelin, from the Anglo-Norman French franc meaning free, in the sense of liberal and generous, plus the germanic suffix ling.
homeostasis hoÂ·meÂ·oÂ·staÂ·sis (hÅ'mÄ-Å-stÄ'sÄ­s) n. The ability or tendency of an organism or a cell to maintain internal equilibrium by adjusting its physiological processes. The processes used to maintain such bodily equilibrium.
In biology, the term homeostasis refers to the ability of the body to maintain a stable internal environment despite changes in external conditions. The stability, or balance, that is attained is called a dynamic equilibrium; that is, as changes occur, the body works to maintain relatively uniform conditions. Controlling such things as body temperature, blood pH, and the amount of glucose in the blood are among the ways the body works to maintain homeostasis.