dormant
lying asleep or as if asleep; inactive, as in sleep; torpid: The lecturer's sudden shout woke the dormant audience.
in a state of rest or inactivity; inoperative; in abeyance: The project is dormant for the time being.
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.
Pathology. (of a disease) in an inactive phase but not cured; no longer exhibiting symptoms but perhaps only temporarily. : Compare latent (def. 2).
undisclosed; unasserted: dormant musical talent.
Geology. (of a volcano) not having erupted within the last 10,000 years, but having the probability of erupting again.: Compare active (def. 10), extinct (def. 5).
Botany. temporarily inactive: dormant buds; dormant seeds.
(of a pesticide) applied to a plant during a period of dormancy: a dormant spray.
Heraldry. (of an animal) represented as lying with its head on its forepaws, as if asleep.
Origin of dormant
1synonym study For dormant
Other words for dormant
Opposites for dormant
Other words from dormant
- non·dor·mant, adjective
- sem·i·dor·mant, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for dormant
/ (ˈdɔːmənt) /
quiet and inactive, as during sleep
latent or inoperative
(of a volcano) neither extinct nor erupting
biology alive but in a resting torpid condition with suspended growth and reduced metabolism
(usually postpositive) heraldry (of a beast) in a sleeping position
Origin of dormant
1Derived forms of dormant
- dormancy, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for dormant
[ dôr′mənt ]
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.
Not active but capable of renewed activity. Volcanoes that have erupted within historical times and are expected to erupt again are dormant.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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