moribund
Americanadjective
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in a dying state; near death.
He arrived at the hospital moribund, and passed away a few hours later.
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on the verge of extinction or termination.
moribund species, largely due to human encroachment on their natural habitat.
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not progressing or advancing; stagnant.
a moribund political party.
adjective
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near death
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stagnant; without force or vitality
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of moribund
First recorded in 1715–25; from Latin moribundus “dying,” equivalent to mori- (stem of morī “to die”) + -bundus adjective suffix
Explanation
Something that is moribund is almost dead, like a moribund economy that has been stuck in a recession for years. In Latin, mori means "to die." You probably recognize this root in words like mortal, mortician, and mortuary. Moribund means "near death," but it can also mean something that is coming to an end, nearly obsolete, or stagnant. For example, as streaming videos over the Internet becomes a more and more popular way to watch movies and television shows, the DVD has become a moribund medium.
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Moribund and obdurate, Cassovan represents the old guard; he is the custodian and elegist of an unalienable tragedy.
From The New Yorker • Aug. 9, 2018
And if you’re wondering why I buried that lead sentence, it’s because we’re all in jail with her, too – the Penitentiary of Moribund Plot Lines.
From New York Times • Feb. 22, 2015
Moribund patients are detained lest they die en route.
From Manual of Surgery Volume First: General Surgery. Sixth Edition. by Thomson, Alexis
"Moribund perspectives," repeated Kitty, casting the phrase about in her mind in search of an equivalent less academic.
From The Drums of Jeopardy by MacGrath, Harold
Dryden's Moribund runs on, quite at his ease, in eloquent disquisition.
From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 57, No. 357, June, 1845 by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
