View synonyms for

extinct

[ ik-stingkt ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

no longer in existence; having ended or died out:
extinct pre-Colombian societies.
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: : EX
a list of extinct animals that once inhabited the Isle of Man.
Synonyms: ,
no longer in use; obsolete:
an extinct custom.
Synonyms:
extinguished; quenched; not burning:
evidence of a half dozen extinct campfires.
Synonyms:
Geology. (of a volcano) not having erupted for at least 10,000 years and not expected to erupt again. Compare active ( def 10 ), dormant ( def 6 ).

extinct

/ ɪ��ˈ��ɪŋ�� /

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 obsolete
an extinct political office

extinct

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No longer active or burning, as an extinct volcano.

Discover More

Other Word Forms

�Դǲ�·��·�پ��Գ�� adjective
�ܲ�·��·�پ��Գ�� adjective

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of extinct¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin ex(s)tinctus, past participle of ex(s)tinguere; extinguish ( def )

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of extinct¹

C15: from Latin exstinctus quenched, from exstinguere to extinguish

Discover More

Synonym Study

See dead.

Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“The dire wolf is no longer extinct,” it trumpets on its website.

From

I listened to a lot of children’s choral music, and Jackson was very inspired by this extinct bird — the kauaʻi ʻōʻō — and one of the last recordings of its call.

From

Grizzly bears are extinct in California but still show up everywhere you look.

From

“Unleashing the bulldozers and chainsaws on these beautiful public lands will result in clearcuts, polluted streams and extinct species,” Spivak said.

From

This now extinct species is possibly most famous for its fictional role in Game of Thrones, but it did exist - more than 10,000 years ago - when it roamed across the Americas.

From

exterritorial extinct in the wild

Browse