extinct

[ ik-stingkt ]

adjective

1. no longer in existence; having ended or died out:

   extinct pre-Colombian societies.

2. Biology, Ecology. (of a plant or animal species) having no living member remaining anywhere, not in the wild, in a naturalized population, nor in captivity, as categorized by the IUCN Red List: : EX

   a list of extinct animals that once inhabited the Isle of Man.

   Synonyms: gone, defunct

3. no longer in use; obsolete:

   an extinct custom.

   Synonyms: archaic

4. extinguished; quenched; not burning:

   evidence of a half dozen extinct campfires.

   Synonyms: out

5. Geology. (of a volcano) not having erupted for at least 10,000 years and not expected to erupt again. Compare active ( def 10 ), dormant ( def 6 ).

extinct

/ ɪkˈstɪŋkt /

adjective

1. (of an animal or plant species) having no living representative; having died out
2. quenched or extinguished
3. (of a volcano) no longer liable to erupt; inactive
4. void or obsolete

   an extinct political office

extinct

/ ĭk-stĭngkt′ /

1. Having no living members. Species become extinct for many reasons, including climate change, disease, destruction of habitat, local or worldwide natural disasters, and development into new species (speciation). The great majority of species that have ever lived—probably more than 99 percent—are now extinct.
2. No longer active or burning, as an extinct volcano.

Other Words From

• non·ex·tinct adjective
• un·ex·tinct adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of extinct¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin ex(s)tinctus, past participle of ex(s)tinguere; extinguish ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of extinct¹

C15: from Latin exstinctus quenched, from exstinguere to extinguish

Synonym Study

See dead.

Example Sentences

Waesche, meanwhile, though dormant and possibly extinct, may offer an answer to the most pressing question in Antarctic volcanology: With ice melting ever more quickly, will the volcanoes grow more active?

From Science Magazine

Hominins includes all organisms, extinct and alive, considered to be within the human lineage that emerged after the split from the ancestors of the great apes.

From Science Daily

Bones of other animals now extinct in Scotland have also been recovered from the system of caves over the years - including lemming, wild horses, lynx and wolf.

From BBC

Species most likely to go extinct sooner were endemic to islands, lacked the ability to fly, had larger bodies and sharply angled wings, and occupied ecologically specific niches, according to research published this month.

From Science Daily

"But mainland England and Wales is in dire straits, and they will become extinct if we are unable to reverse this trend."

From BBC