Printer Friendly
Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary
1,515,655,229 visitors served.
forum mailing list For webmasters
?
New: Language forums
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

dormant

   Also found in: Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.04 sec.
dor·mant  (dôrmnt)
adj.
1. Lying asleep or as if asleep; inactive.
2. Latent but capable of being activated: "a harrowing experience which . . . lay dormant but still menacing" (Charles Jackson).
3. Temporarily quiescent: a dormant volcano. See Synonyms at inactive, latent.
4. In a condition of biological rest or inactivity characterized by cessation of growth or development and the suspension of many metabolic processes.

[Middle English, from Old French, from present participle of dormir, to sleep, from Latin dormre.]

dorman·cy n.

dormant
Adjective
1. temporarily quiet, inactive, or not being used
2. Biol alive but in a resting condition [Latin dormire to sleep]
dormancy n

dormant  (dôrmnt)
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.

In mine warfare, the state of a mine during which a time delay feature in a mine prevents it from being actuated.
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Adj.1.dormantdormant - in a condition of biological rest or suspended animation; "dormant buds"; "a hibernating bear"; "torpid frogs"
biological science, biology - the science that studies living organisms
asleep - in a state of sleep; "were all asleep when the phone rang"; "fell asleep at the wheel"
2.dormant - (of e.g. volcanos) not erupting and not extinct ; "a dormant volcano"
active - (of e.g. volcanos) erupting or liable to erupt; "active volcanos"
3.dormant - lying with head on paws as if sleeping
heraldry - the study and classification of armorial bearings and the tracing of genealogies
unerect - not upright in position or posture
4.dormant - inactive but capable of becoming active; "her feelings of affection are dormant but easily awakened"
inactive - not active physically or mentally; "illness forced him to live an inactive life"; "dreamy and inactive by nature"

dormant
Translations
dormant [ˈdɔːmənt] adjinactivo (= latent); latente

dormant [ˈdɔːmənt] adjassoupi(e)en veilleuse; [rule, law] → inappliqué(e)

dormant [ˈdɔːmənt] adj (plant) → ruhend;
(volcano) → untätig;
(idea, report etc);
to lie dormant → schlummern

dormant [ˈdɔːmənt] adjinattivo/a;
(fig) → latente

dormant
adj dormant [ˈdoːmənt]
not dead but not active a dormant volcano. sluimerend ساكِن، خامِد، هامِد спящ dřímající, spící slumrende untätig, schlafend αδρανής (για ηφαίστειο) durmiente, inactivo suikvel خواب؛ غیرفعال levossa oleva en veilleuse רָדוּם प्रसुप्त, सुस्त koji spava, mirno leži alvó tidur óvirkur inattivo 休止中の 활동을 멈춘, 휴면중인 snaudžiantis, neveikiantis snaudošs pendam slapend sovende, i dvale uśpiony, nieczynny adormecido inactiv недействующий nečinný mirujoč uspavan sovande, slumrande, passiv ซึ่งหยุดการเจริญเติบโตชั่วคราว aktif olmayan, uyku hâlinde 暫停活動的;休眠的 бездіяльний; дрімаючий ساکت không hoạt động


How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content.
?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
Email
Feedback
Add definition
? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
No intimation of danger assailed the dormant faculties of the ape-man--he saw no crouching hairy figures upon the ground beneath him nor the three apes that swung quietly into the tree beside him.
HERE is a story that has lain dormant for seven hundred years.
Still, there was no knowing when the dormant faculty might wake and smite the lyre.
 
Dictionary/thesaurus browser? ? Full browser
 
 
Dictionary, Thesaurus, and Translations
?

Disclaimer | Privacy policy | Feedback | Copyright © 2009 Farlex, Inc.
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. Terms of Use.