What is the difference between dormant and latent?
dormant | latent | Synonyms |
Inactive, sleeping, asleep, suspended.
* Burke
(heraldry) In a sleeping posture; distinguished from couchant.
Existing or present but concealed or inactive.
* 2008 July 2, Joe Palca, “Scientists Make Herpes Breakthrough”, abstract, All Things Considered , National Public Radio
Latent is a synonym of dormant.
As adjectives the difference between dormant and latent
is that dormant is inactive, sleeping, asleep, suspended while latent is existing or present but concealed or inactive.dormant
English
Alternative forms
* dormaunt (obsolete)Adjective
(-)- Grass goes dormant during the winter, waiting for spring before it grows again.
- The bank account was dormant ; there had been no transactions in months.
- This volcano is dormant but not extinct.
- It is by lying dormant a long time, or being very rarely exercised, that arbitrary power steals upon a people.
- a lion dormant
Antonyms
* active * active, extinctExternal links
* * *Anagrams
* ----latent
English
Adjective
(-)- Those infected with a herpes virus are infected for life. That’s because the virus goes "latent ." Sometimes, it awakes from its slumber, producing painful illnesses.