Dormancy is the state of being dormant: not active, not growing, not doing much right now, but able to wake later. Scientists use it for seeds that wait in the soil, trees that rest in winter, and animals that slow down through a cold or dry season. Doctors may use it for an illness that is quiet for a while. You can also hear it in more abstract talk — a talent in dormancy, a project in dormancy — though that sounds a little stiff. It is a slightly formal, textbook noun. Everyday English often prefers the adjective: “The volcano is dormant” is more common than “The volcano is in dormancy,” even though both are correct. The picture behind the word is sleep, not death: the thing is paused, not finished.