Dormants

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. Characterizing organisms or structures that are in a state of inactivity or rest, often to conserve energy or resources
2. representing periods when growth or development is temporarily halted
3. describing an inactive phase in life cycles, particularly in plants or animals

Etymology: "Dormants" is simply the plural of "dormant," used as a noun for things that are in a state of inactivity, such as dormant seeds or animals in hibernation. Its meaning rests on the sense of the adjective, so the history of the plural is the history of "dormant." That adjective came into English from Old French, which had taken it from Latin "dormiens," the present participle of "dormire," meaning "to sleep." The Latin root is the same one behind English words like "dormitory," a place built for sleeping. A dormant thing, in other words, is one that is, quite literally, asleep: a bulb waiting out winter, or a volcano that has not erupted in a long time.

Synonyms: inactive, latent, sleeping, quiescent, resting

Antonyms: active, awake, alert, operational