Standard Lemma guide

dormancy

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈdɔː.mən.si/
  • Canada, General-American: /ˈdɔɹ.mən.si/
  • Australian: /ˈdoː.mən.si/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: D AO1 R M AH0 N S IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The state or characteristic of being dormant; quiet, inactive restfulness.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

quiet and inactive restfulness

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: quiescence, quiescency, sleeping

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: rest, ease, repose, relaxation

Narrower terms: vegetation

3

noun

Meaning 3

a state of quiet (but possibly temporary) inaction

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the volcano erupted after centuries of dormancy

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: quiescence, quiescency

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: inaction, inactivity, inactiveness

Narrower terms: hibernation, estivation, aestivation, slumber

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Cantonese: 休止 (jau1 zi2) — state of being dormant
  • Chinese Mandarin: 休止 (xiūzhǐ) — state of being dormant
  • Finnish: lepotila — state of being dormant
  • Finnish: uneliaisuus — state of being dormant
  • French: dormance — state of being dormant
  • German: Dormanz — state of being dormant
  • Indonesian: dormansi — state of being dormant
  • Italian: quiescenza — state of being dormant
  • Japanese: 休止 (kyūshi) — state of being dormant
  • Japanese: 休眠 (kyūmin) — state of being dormant
  • Japanese: 睡眠 (suimin) — state of being dormant
  • Portuguese: dormência — state of being dormant
  • Russian: спя́чка (spjáčka) — state of being dormant
  • Spanish: dormancia — state of being dormant
  • Swedish: dvala — state of being dormant
  • Turkish: dormansi — state of being dormant
  • Turkish: uyku hali — state of being dormant