Definition of extinction
1
: the act of making extinct or causing to be extinguished
2
: the condition or fact of being extinct or extinguished
also
: the process of becoming extinct
extinction of a species
3
: the process of eliminating or reducing a conditioned response by not reinforcing it
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Test Your Vocabulary
Name that Thing: Flower Edition
-
- Name that flower

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Share extinction
Time Traveler for extinction
The first known use of extinction was in the 15th century
See more words from the same century