extinct

1 of 2

adjective

1
a
: no longer burning
b
: no longer active
an extinct volcano
2
: no longer existing
an extinct animal
3
a
: gone out of use : superseded
b
: having no qualified claimant
an extinct title

extinct

2 of 2

verb

extincted; extincting; extincts

Examples of extinct in a Sentence

Adjective Many of these old traditions have since become extinct. a few overgrown ruins are all that remain of that once mighty but now extinct civilization
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
Colossal said its woolly mouse would enable its scientists to test hypotheses about the link between specific DNA sequences and physical traits that enabled the mammoth, which went extinct around 4,000 years ago, to adapt to life in cold climates. Katie Hunt, CNN, 4 Mar. 2025 At some point, dinosaur diversity peaked, but began to decline for at least two million years before the creatures went extinct. Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 27 Feb. 2025 Research shows that some extinct types of crocodiles were herbivorous. David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025 With that, the extinct black-footed ferret was officially brought back from the dead. Benji Jones, Vox, 26 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for extinct

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Latin exstinctus, past participle of exstinguere

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of extinct was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Extinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extinct. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

extinct

adjective
ex·​tinct
ik-ˈstiŋ(k)t,
ˈek-ˌ
1
: no longer active
an extinct volcano
2
: no longer existing
an extinct species of animal

Medical Definition

extinct

adjective
: no longer existing : lacking living representatives
extinct prehistoric animals

More from Merriam-Webster on extinct

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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