Extinction Meaning
/ɪkˈstɪŋkʃən/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounThe action of making or becoming extinct; annihilation.
nounThe absorption or scattering of electromagnetic radiation emitted by astronomical objects by intervening dust and gas before it reaches the observer.
Sentence Examples
The Siberian tiger is on the verge of extinction.
Some wild animals are on the verge of extinction.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The dodo bird suffered complete ____ after humans destroyed its habitat.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Many animal species are currently facing ____ due to habitat loss and climate change.
Word Origin & History
From late Middle English, borrowed from Latin extinctio (“extinction, annihilation”), from extinguere, past participle extinctus (“to extinguish”); see extinguish.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Thirteen long centuries have elapsed since the extinction of the last Zoroastrian Empire[…]"
— 1922, Maneckji Nusservanji Dhalla, Zoroastrian Civilization, page 41:
"Their lives were short; all were condemned by the early 1930s, presumably because, like most classes of G.S.W.R. engines, their small numbers invited extinction under any comprehensive programme of standardisation."
— 1951 November, David R. Webb, “The Drummond 4-4-0 Locomotives”, in Railway Magazine, page 773:
"The extinction of a species once so numerous seemed incredible."
— 1955, A. W. Schorger, The Passenger Pigeon: Its Natural History and Extinction, →ISBN, page vii:
"Dr. Manuel: You're wasting your time. The age of humanity is over. Our extinction is inevitable."
— 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Eden Prime:
"Phoenix and Lubbock are both caught in severe drought, and it is going to get much worse. We may see many such [dust] storms in the decades ahead, along with species extinctions, radical disturbance of ecosystems, and intensified social conflict over land and water. Welcome to the Anthropocene, the epoch when humans have become a major geological and climatic force."
— 2012 January 26, Donald Worster, “A Drier and Hotter Future”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, archived from the original on 26 Jan 2012, page 70:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The dodo bird suffered complete ____ after humans destroyed its habitat.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Many animal species are currently facing ____ due to habitat loss and climate change.