Extinction
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /ɪkˈstɪŋkʃən/ · Part of speech noun
Quick meaning: Extinction is a noun meaning The action of making or becoming extinct; annihilation.
Meaning
The action of making or becoming extinct; annihilation.
More Meanings
- (pathology) The inability to perceive multiple stimuli simultaneously.
- (psychology) The fading of a conditioned response over time if it is not reinforced.
- (astronomy) The absorption or scattering of electromagnetic radiation emitted by astronomical objects by intervening dust and gas before it reaches the observer.
Example Sentences
The extinction of a species once so numerous seemed incredible.
Thirteen long centuries have elapsed since the extinction of the last Zoroastrian Empire[…]
Dr. Manuel: You're wasting your time. The age of humanity is over. Our extinction is inevitable.
In Perthshire, the Aberdeenshire catchments of Deeside and Donside, in Moray and Nairnshire to the north-east, the populations are in low single figures, putting them on the brink of local extinction.
Word Forms
- extinctions
Synonyms for extinction
Depending on context, synonyms include quenching, extermination, extinguishing, defunctness.
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include extermination, extinguishing, defunctness, quenching, extirpated, annihilation.
Related Dictionary Tools
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.