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: no longer active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: gone out of use : superseded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
Adjective
After nearly going extinct in the early 20th century, the big cats are still on the endangered species list. Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 13 Mar. 2024 Almost a year ago, Ali Wolf, chief economist at the housing-market data company Zonda, told me the $300,000 starter home was going extinct. Alena Botros, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024 With their small brains and enormous bodies, these creatures have long been the poster children for animals destined to go extinct. Kristi Curry Rogers, The Conversation, 7 Mar. 2024 Harris’s biography is not only a joyful (and gossipy) celebration of Nichols’s life and achievements, but a glimpse into a half century’s worth of films that are now on the verge of going extinct. Fran Hoepfner, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2024 In the 1700s, the 60,000-pound gray whale of the Atlantic Ocean went extinct. Julia Daye, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2024 But in the 19th century, British colonizers brought in their iteration of fast fashion, and the tradition nearly went extinct until its revival some five decades ago. Melanie Stetson Freeman, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Feb. 2024 Colossal Biosciences, a company that aims to bring extinct animals back to life, is set to be the subject of a documentary series. Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2024 Resurrecting the extinct species has been a pet project of Harvard University geneticist George Church for more than a decade. Katie Hunt, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024
Verb
Of the native species found in Illinois, the majority fall into a range from threatened to extinct, according to the state’s Department of Natural Resources. Morgan Greene, chicagotribune.com, 25 Sep. 2020 The species had gone from extraordinarily populous to extinct in a human life span. David Biello, Scientific American, 27 June 2014 Many experts worry that if this pattern continues, the disease will eventually drive the species from endangered to extinct. Jason Bittel, Animals, 10 Dec. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'extinct.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near extinct

Cite this Entry

“Extinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extinct. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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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