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: no longer active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: gone out of use : superseded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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Then, the team matches the extinct animal with a close living relative and uses video and computer vision techniques to translate the modern animal’s movements into mathematical representations. Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Oct. 2024 The deep-water species belongs to a group of animals known as arthropods—an incredibly diverse group of invertebrates with jointed limbs and a hard shell known as an exoskeleton, which includes arachnids, insects and crustaceans, as well as extinct animals like trilobites. Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024 By 2340, an army of drones has taken over the planet and humans are nearly extinct. Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 28 Oct. 2024 And some of those flowers may soon become extinct because of climate change. Sandra Dallas, The Denver Post, 27 Oct. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near extinct

Cite this Entry

“Extinct.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extinct. Accessed 22 Nov. 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: no longer active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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!