quiescence

American  

[kwee-es-uhns, kwahy-] / kwiˈɛs əns, kwaɪ- /

Rarely quiescency

noun

1. quietness or stillness; inactivity or dormancy.

   After a year of apparent quiescence, the region’s cities have once again erupted into street demonstrations.

2. Biology, the state of producing no symptoms; remission, as of a disease, tumor, or other disorder.

   Periodontal disease may be characterized by episodes of activity followed by periods of relative quiescence.

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Etymology

Origin of quiescence

First recorded in 1620–30; from Late Latin quiescentia “rest,” from Latin quiescent-, stem of quiescēns ( see quiescent ( def. )) + -ia ( def. )

Explanation

If there's a particular time of day when your ten kittens settle down to nap, you can call that their period of quiescence, or the time when they are all quiet and restful. The noun quiescence looks similar to the word "quiet" for a good reason: quiescence is a quiet spell or state. It's used often to mean "dormancy," or the quieting of a symptom or a disease, such as the quiescence of a child's asthma symptoms during the winter months. The Latin root word is quies, which means "rest or quiet."

Example Sentences

My reef biologist friend Josh, who has logged thousands of dives, confirmed our impression of Quiescence, calling it one of the best outfits he has worked with.

From Washington Post • Aug. 30, 2018

Jason at Quiescence said to just drop by.

From Washington Post • Aug. 30, 2018

Quiescence -- N. rest; stillness &c. adj.; quiescence; stagnation, stagnancy; fixity, immobility, catalepsy; indisturbance†; quietism. quiet, tranquility, calm; repose &c.

From Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases by Roget, Peter Mark

Quiescence is an essential element in the protective resemblance to a stone—probably even more indispensable than the details of the form and colouring.

From Darwin and Modern Science by Seward, A. C. (Albert Charles)

Quiescence in an easy-chair, under the sense of compound interest perpetually accumulating, has long seemed an ample function to her, and she does her malevolence gently.

From Scenes of Clerical Life by Eliot, George