English Lexicon

Dormancy

/ˈdɔːr.mən.si/
nounCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #28450 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    A period in an organism's life cycle when growth, development, and physical activity are temporarily stopped or slowed down.

    "Many deciduous trees enter dormancy during the cold winter months to conserve energy."
  2. 2

    A state of temporary inactivity, delay, or suspension of use.

    "The project was brought out of dormancy after the investors secured additional funding."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from the Latin 'dormire', meaning 'to sleep', entering English via the French adjective 'dormant' in the 17th century. Over time, the suffix '-cy' was added to form a noun denoting a state of temporary inactivity or metabolic suspension, particularly in biological contexts.

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