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dormant

Syllabification: (dor·mant)

Pronunciation: /ˈdôrmənt/

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Definition of dormant

adjective

(of an animal) having normal physical functions suspended or slowed down for a period of time; in or as if in a deep sleep:dormant butterflies figurativethe event evoked memories that she would rather had lain dormant
(of a plant or bud) alive but not actively growing.
(of a volcano) temporarily inactive.
(of a disease) causing no symptoms but not cured and liable to recur.
[usually postpositive] Heraldry (of an animal) depicted lying with its head on its paws.

Derivatives

dormancy

Origin:

late Middle English (in the senses 'fixed in position' and 'latent'): from Old French, 'sleeping', present participle of dormir, from Latin dormire 'to sleep'

dormant in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of dormant in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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