Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
Dormobile
dormouse
dornick
Dornoch Firth
Dorothy bag
Dorothy Dixer
dorp
Dors.
dorsa
dorsal
dorsal fin
Dorset
dorsi-
dorsiflexion
dorsiventral
dorso-
dorsolateral
Click to move down the list of words
Print Preview
See pronunciation key
Search for "dormant" in all of MSN Encarta
E-mail this entry
Blog about this entry on MSN Spaces
Download the MSN Encarta Right-Click Dictionary

dormant

dor·mant [ dáwrmənt ]


adjective 
Definition:
 
1. not actively growing: in an inactive state, when growth and development slow or cease, in order to survive adverse environmental conditions

2. temporarily inactive: temporarily inactive or not in use

3. not erupting: describes a volcano that is not erupting, but not extinct

4. latent: latent and able to be aroused
dormant feelings of uneasiness

5. heraldry sleeping: in a heraldic device, portrayed in a sleeping posture

[14th century. < French, present participle of dormir "sleep" < Latin dormire]

dor·man·cy noun
Advertisement

Also on Encarta
Englishtown: Learn English online
Our Partners
Also on MSN
Encarta Message Boards (© Rubberball/Jupiterimages)
MSN Shopping
Encarta RSS Feeds
© 2008 Microsoft