DORMANCY

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does dormancy mean? 

• DORMANCY (noun)
  The noun DORMANCY has 2 senses:

1. a state of quiet (but possibly temporary) inaction

2. quiet and inactive restfulness

  Familiarity information: DORMANCY used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DORMANCY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A state of quiet (but possibly temporary) inaction

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

dormancy; quiescence; quiescency

Context example:

the volcano erupted after centuries of dormancy

Hypernyms ("dormancy" is a kind of...):

inaction; inactiveness; inactivity (the state of being inactive)

Attribute:

dormant; inactive ((of e.g. volcanos) not erupting and not extinct)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "dormancy"):

hibernation (cessation from or slowing of activity during the winter; especially slowing of metabolism in some animals)

aestivation; estivation ((zoology) cessation or slowing of activity during the summer; especially slowing of metabolism in some animals during a hot or dry period)

slumber (a dormant or quiescent state)

Derivation:

dormant (inactive but capable of becoming active)

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

dormant (in a condition of biological rest or suspended animation)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Quiet and inactive restfulness

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

dormancy; quiescence; quiescency; sleeping

Hypernyms ("dormancy" is a kind of...):

ease; relaxation; repose; rest (freedom from activity (work or strain or responsibility))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "dormancy"):

vegetation (inactivity that is passive and monotonous, comparable to the inactivity of plant life)

Derivation:

dormant (in a condition of biological rest or suspended animation)

 Context examples 

Vitamin E also inhibits angiogenesis and tumor dormancy through suppressing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene transcription.

(Alpha-tocopherol, NCI Thesaurus)