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View synonyms for

dormant

[dawr-muhnt]

adjective

  1. lying asleep or as if asleep; inactive, as in sleep; torpid.

    The lecturer's sudden shout woke the dormant audience.

    Synonyms:
    Antonyms: ,
  2. in a state of rest or inactivity; inoperative; in abeyance.

    The project is dormant for the time being.

    Synonyms:
  3. Biology.in a state of minimal metabolic activity with cessation of growth, either as a reaction to adverse conditions or as part of an organism's normal annual rhythm.

  4. Pathology.(of a disease) in an inactive phase but not cured; no longer exhibiting symptoms but perhaps only temporarily.

  5. undisclosed; unasserted.

    dormant musical talent.

    Synonyms:
  6. Geology.(of a volcano) not having erupted within the last 10,000 years, but having the probability of erupting again.

  7. Botany.temporarily inactive.

    dormant buds; dormant seeds.

  8. (of a pesticide) applied to a plant during a period of dormancy.

    a dormant spray.

  9. Heraldry.(of an animal) represented as lying with its head on its forepaws, as if asleep.



dormant

/ ˈɔːəԳ /

adjective

  1. quiet and inactive, as during sleep

  2. latent or inoperative

  3. (of a volcano) neither extinct nor erupting

  4. biology alive but in a resting torpid condition with suspended growth and reduced metabolism

  5. (usually postpositive) heraldry (of a beast) in a sleeping position

“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

dormant

  1. Being in an inactive state during which growth and development cease and metabolism is slowed, usually in response to an adverse environment. In winter, some plants survive as dormant seeds or bulbs, and some animals enter the dormant state of hibernation.

  2. Not active but capable of renewed activity. Volcanoes that have erupted within historical times and are expected to erupt again are dormant.

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Other Word Forms

  • nondormant adjective
  • semidormant adjective
  • ˈǰԳ noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of dormant1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English dorma(u)nt, from Anglo-French, present participle of dormir, from Latin ǰī “to sleep”; -ant
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Word History and Origins

Origin of dormant1

C14: from Old French dormant, from dormir to sleep, from Latin ǰī
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Synonym Study

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

So here’s the truth about California native plant landscapes: Without careful planning, they can get a little drab, especially in the summer when many go dormant, brittle and brown.

From

Edison has previously acknowledged that it could be responsible for the blaze and said this month that a dormant power line might have been the cause.

From

The cause of the blaze has not been determined, but the company has acknowledged that it may have been sparked by a faulty dormant power line operated by Edison.

From

“The impressive well tests from Platform Harmony confirm the prolific nature of the Santa Ynez Unit reservoir after being dormant for ten years.”

From

Hidden inside was a piece of malicious software that would lie dormant in the council's network until it was activated remotely.

From

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