dormant

American  

[dawr-muhnt] / ˈdɔr mənt /

adjective

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

   The lecturer's sudden shout woke the dormant audience.

   Synonyms:

   quiescent

   Antonyms:

   active, awake

2. in a state of rest or inactivity; inoperative; in abeyance.

   The project is dormant for the time being.

   Synonyms:

   quiescent

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:

   latent

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.

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dormant British  

/ ˈdɔːmənt /

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

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dormant Scientific  

/ dôr′mənt /

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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Related Words

See inactive.

Other Word Forms

• dormancy noun
• nondormant adjective
• semidormant adjective

Etymology

Origin of dormant

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

Example Sentences

They could be ambitious Champ sides such as Coventry, dormant former powerhouses like Wasps - who plan to relaunch in Kent in the coming seasons - or brand-new entities.

From BBC

IPO market, dormant for years, finally started to look up for tech companies last year.

From The Wall Street Journal

Efforts to reach Hexa, which went dormant last year according to Hong Kong corporate filings, for comment weren’t successful.

From The Wall Street Journal

Most are classed as "dormant companies", with very little or no reported recent commercial activity.

From BBC

“The Russians are developing many bases and capabilities that were sort of dormant since the end of the Cold War,” said Spanish Navy Rear Adm.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• asleep
• comatose
• inert
• inoperative
• latent
• passive
• sidelined
• sluggish