extinct
[ ik-stingkt ]
/ ɪkˈstɪŋkt /
adjective
no longer in existence; having ended or died out:extinct North American Indian tribes.
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: a list of extinct animals that once inhabited the Isle of Man.Abbreviation: EX
no longer in use; obsolete: an extinct custom.
extinguished; quenched; not burning: evidence of a half dozen extinct campfires.
having ceased eruption; no longer active: an extinct volcano.
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Origin of extinct
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin ex(s)tinctus, past participle of ex(s)tinguere; see origin at extinguish
SYNONYMS FOR extinct
synonym study for extinct
1. See dead.
OTHER WORDS FROM extinct
non·ex·tinct, adjectiveun·ex·tinct, adjectiveWords nearby extinct
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for extinct
British Dictionary definitions for extinct
extinct
/ (ɪkˈstɪŋkt) /
adjective
(of an animal or plant species) having no living representative; having died out
quenched or extinguished
(of a volcano) no longer liable to erupt; inactive
void or obsoletean extinct political office
Word Origin for extinct
C15: from Latin exstinctus quenched, from exstinguere to extinguish
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Scientific definitions for extinct
extinct
[ ĭk-stĭngkt′ ]
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.
No longer active or burning, as an extinct volcano.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.