What does dormant mean?

Definitions for dormant
ˈdɔr məntdor·mant

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word dormant.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. dormant, hibernating(a), torpidadjective

    in a condition of biological rest or suspended animation

    "dormant buds"; "a hibernating bear"; "torpid frogs"

  2. dormant, inactiveadjective

    (of e.g. volcanos) not erupting and not extinct

    "a dormant volcano"

  3. dormant(ip), sleepingadjective

    lying with head on paws as if sleeping

  4. abeyant, dormantadjective

    inactive but capable of becoming active

    "her feelings of affection are dormant but easily awakened"

Wiktionary

  1. dormantadjective

    Inactive, asleep, suspended.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Dormantadjective

    Etymology: dormant, French.

    He a dragon! if he be, ’tis a very peaceful one: I can insure his anger is dormant; or should he seem to rouse, ’tis well lashing him, and he will sleep like a top. William Congreve, Old Batchelor.

    If a lion were the coat of Judah, yet were it not a lion rampant, but rather couchant and dormant. Thomas Browne, Vulg. Err.

    With this radius he is said to strike and kill his prey, for which he lies, as it were, dormant, ’till it swims within his reach. Nehemiah Grew, Musæum.

    There were other dormant musters of soldiers throughout all parts of the realm, that were put in readiness, but not drawn together. Francis Bacon, War with Spain.

    It would be prudent to reserve these privileges dormant, never to be produced but upon great occasions. Jonathan Swift.

    Old dormant windows must confess
    Her beams: their glimmering spectacles,
    Struck with the splendor of her face,
    Do th’ office of a burning-glass. John Cleveland.

ChatGPT

  1. dormant

    Dormant typically refers to a state of temporary inactivity, resting, or lying dormant. It is often used to describe a condition or state where something is temporarily asleep, inactive, or not currently functioning but has the potential to become active again in the future. This can apply to various areas such as biology, businesses, volcanoes, or legal rights.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Dormantadjective

    sleeping; as, a dormant animal; hence, not in action or exercise; quiescent; at rest; in abeyance; not disclosed, asserted, or insisted on; as, dormant passions; dormant claims or titles

  2. Dormantadjective

    in a sleeping posture; as, a lion dormant; -- distinguished from couchant

  3. Dormantadjective

    a large beam in the roof of a house upon which portions of the other timbers rest or " sleep."

  4. Etymology: [See Dormant, a.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Dormant

    dor′mant, adj. sleeping: at rest: not used, in abeyance (as a title): in a sleeping posture: (archit.) leaning.—n. a crossbeam: a joist.—n. Dor′mancy, quiescence.—ns. Dor′mer-win′dow, a vertical window, esp. of a sleeping-room (formerly called dormer), on the sloping roof of a house; Dormi′tion, sleeping.—adj. Dor′mitive, causing sleep (of medicine), as opium.—ns. Dor′mitory, a large sleeping-chamber with many beds; Dor′mouse, a small rodent intermediate between the squirrel and the mouse, so called because torpid in winter:—pl. Dor′mice; Dor′tour (Spens.) a dormitory. [Fr. dormir—L. dormīre, to sleep.]

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms

  1. dormant

    In mine warfare, the state of a mine during which a time delay feature in a mine prevents it from being actuated.

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer

  1. dormant

    (Fr.). Sleeping. In heraldic representation, an animal dormant has its head resting on its fore-paws, whereas an animal couchant has its head erect.

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of dormant in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of dormant in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of dormant in a Sentence

  1. Aloo Denish Obiero:

    The seeds of greatness lie dormant within, waiting for the nurturing touch of purpose to awaken them.

  2. Tony Perkins:

    What we are seeing is evangelicals who have been dormant in the political process that are turning out, it’s something we haven’t seen in a number of years.

  3. Mitch Prinstein:

    Our species is uniquely and remarkably attuned to our social position because many years ago we relied on each other for safety, research now reveals that social rejection activates the same regions of the brain that are known to respond to physical pain, and also expresses dormant DNA to prepare our bodies for imminent injury. Unfortunately, this response is no longer necessary, so the expression of these genes leaves us more vulnerable to viral infections and more likely to suffer from inflammation-related illnesses.

  4. Gary Hufbauer:

    The' back of the queue' statement will be forgotten by the next administration, if not sooner, in my view, TTIP is either dormant or dead in the wake of Brexit.

  5. Philip Tierno Jr.:

    Once you have the infection, it could remain dormant and with minimal symptoms, and then you can get an exacerbation if it finds its way into the lungs.

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Translations for dormant

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"dormant." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Nov. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/dormant>.

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