dormancy

American  

[dawr-muhn-see] / ˈdɔr mən si /

noun

1. the state of being dormant.

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Etymology

Origin of dormancy

First recorded in 1780–90; dorm(ant) + -ancy

Explanation

A period of inactivity, with no moving or growing, is dormancy. A bear is in a stage of dormancy when it hibernates: both its heart rate and body temperature become very low and it doesn't do much besides sleep. You can describe any state of deep sleep or profound calm and quiet as dormancy, like your weekend of dormancy after an incredibly hectic week at school. It's mainly used in a more scientific way, though, to talk about the dormancy some animals go through in the winter in order to save valuable energy or the dormancy of certain plants during a dry season. Other things that are temporarily inactive, like volcanoes, also experience dormancy.

Example Sentences

Raj believes if Jan Suraaj can maintain a steady ground presence, cultivate local leadership and avoid the "post-election dormancy" that traps many new parties, it may gradually convert attention into influence.

From BBC • Nov. 14, 2025

Summer dormancy has turned the tall stalks of wand buckwheat brown and bare, except for tiny balls of pink flowers, but the plants should leaf out again in the spring.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 22, 2025

Leaving ludicrous Civil War–era laws on the books in their dormancy was easier politically than going out of your way to excise them, just in case.

From Slate • Apr. 11, 2024

These types of grapes are typically suited to colder environments and require a period of dormancy with cool temperatures in the winter to grow properly in the summer months.

From Salon • Apr. 2, 2024

I crouch by the trunk, my fingers stroking the bark, seeking a Braille code, a clue, a message on how to come back to life after my long undersnow dormancy.

From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson