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quiescent

The adjective quiescent means "being quiet and still," like the quiescent moments lying in a hammock on a beautiful summer Sunday.

To be quiescent, pronounced "qwhy-ESS-ent," is to be quiet, resting, which is exactly what its Latin origin quiescens means: In our busy world, it is hard to find a place to be quiescent. It has a second meaning: "causing no symptoms." For example, if a disease is quiescent, you probably won't know you have it. And finally, quiescent can mean "not activated," like quiescent cleaning products that don't get the stains out.

DEFINITIONS OF: quiescent

1

adj being quiet or still or inactive

Synonyms
dormant, inactive
(of e.g. volcanos) not erupting and not extinct

adj marked by a state of tranquil repose

“the quiescent melancholy of the town”
Synonyms
quiet
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity

adj not active or activated

“the quiescent level of centimeter wave-length solar radiation”
Synonyms
inactive
not exerting influence or change

adj (pathology) causing no symptoms

“a quiescent tumor”
Synonyms
inactive
(pathology) not progressing or increasing; or progressing slowly
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