(of a species, family, or other larger group) having no living members (种、科或更大群体)灭绝的,绝种的 trilobites and dinosaurs are extinct. 三叶虫和恐龙已经绝种。 ■(often humorous)no longer in existence (常幽默)不复存在的;绝种的 the sort of girls' school that is now extinct. 那种现已不复存在的女子学校。 ■(of a volcano) not having erupted in recorded history (火山)死的,不活动的 ■no longer alight 熄灭的 his now extinct pipe. 他那已熄灭的烟斗。 ■(of a title of nobility) having no qualified claimant (贵族称号)无合法继承人的
语源
late Middle English (in the sense 'no longer alight'): from Latin exstinct- 'extinguished', from the verb exstinguere (see extinguish)