extinct

/ɛkˈstɪŋkt/

/ɛkˈstɪŋkt/

Something that no longer exists and has no living representative is extinct. Dinosaurs are extinct. Polar bears may become extinct. Sadly, history teachers who force their students to memorize long lists of dates are in no danger of becoming extinct.

You often hear of a species being extinct: there are no living representatives of the species left. But extinct also describes something that has gone out or grown cold, as in a dormant volcano "extinct volcano" or a tobacco pipe whose flame has died out "extinct pipe." That’s because extinct comes from the Latin extinguere/exstinguere for "extinguish." Originally extinct referred to fires that died out (were extinguished). Its meaning grew to encompass a family line and then a species.

Definitions of extinct

1. adjective

   no longer in existence; lost or especially having died out leaving no living representatives
   “an extinct species of fish”

   “an extinct royal family”

   “extinct laws and customs”

   synonyms: nonextant

   nonexistent

   not having existence or being or actuality

   dead

   not surviving in active use

   antonyms:

   extant

   still in existence; not extinct or destroyed or lost

   existent, existing

   having existence or being or actuality

   living

   still in active use

   living, surviving

   still in existence
2. adjective

   (of e.g. volcanos) permanently inactive
   “an extinct volcano”

   synonyms:

   dead

   physically inactive

   antonyms:

   active

   (of e.g. volcanos) capable of erupting

   alive, live

   capable of erupting

   live

   exerting force or containing energy
3. adjective

   being out or having grown cold
   synonyms: out

   dead

   not showing characteristics of life especially the capacity to sustain life; no longer exerting force or having energy or heat