extinction

CEFRB2

/ɪkˈstɪŋkʃən/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    The complete disappearance of a species or thing.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    The absorption or scattering of electromagnetic radiation emitted by astronomical objects by intervening dust and gas before it reaches the observer.

Examples

  • Some wild animals are on the verge of extinction.

  • The Siberian tiger is on the verge of extinction.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. The inability to perceive multiple stimuli simultaneously.

  2. The action of making or becoming extinct; annihilation.

  3. The fading of a conditioned response over time if it is not reinforced.

More examples

In context

  • Thirteen long centuries have elapsed since the extinction of the last Zoroastrian Empire[…]

  • 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.

  • The extinction of a species once so numerous seemed incredible.

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The dodo bird suffered complete blank after humans destroyed its habitat.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

From late Middle English, borrowed from Latin extinctio (“extinction, annihilation”), from extinguere, past participle extinctus (“to extinguish”); see extinguish.