Dormant means not active or not growing just now, but able to become active later — as if something were asleep.

Dormant means not active or not growing just nowdormant 是指現在沒有在活動、也沒有在生長， but able to become active later但之後還有可能重新活動起來， as if something were asleep就好像什麼東西在睡覺一樣。

A dormant volcano has not erupted for a long time, but it is not dead. A dormant seed is waiting for rain or warmth. A dormant bank account sits unused. Feelings, talent, and plans can lie dormant too.

A dormant volcano has not erupted for a long timea dormant volcano 是很久沒有噴發的火山， but it is not dead但它並沒有死。 A dormant seed is waiting for rain or warmtha dormant seed 是在等雨水或溫暖的種子。 A dormant bank account sits unuseda dormant bank account 是一直沒在用的銀行帳戶。 Feelings, talent, and plans can lie dormant too情感、才華、計畫也都可以 lie dormant（處於休眠狀態）。

It is a little formal, more at home in news, science, and careful writing than in playground talk, but educated speakers use it freely.

It is a little formal這個字有點正式， more at home in news, science, and careful writing than in playground talk比較常出現在新聞、科學和講究的文章裡，而不是操場上的閒聊， but educated speakers use it freely但受過教育的人會很自然地使用它。

For volcanoes, people contrast dormant with extinct: extinct means it will not wake; dormant means it still might. You can also hear dormant in law and money: a dormant company, dormant rights.

For volcanoes, people contrast dormant with extinct講到火山時，大家會把 dormant 拿來跟 extinct 對比： extinct means it will not wakeextinct 是指它不會再醒來， dormant means it still mightdormant 則是指它還有可能醒來。 You can also hear dormant in law and money在法律和金融領域你也會聽到 dormant： a dormant company, dormant rights像 a dormant company（休眠公司）、dormant rights（休眠權利）。

The “sleeping” picture is not a cute extra — it is the origin. The word comes from Latin dormiō, “I sleep,” through French and Middle English.

The "sleeping" picture is not a cute extra「睡覺」這個畫面不是隨便加上去的可愛比喻， it is the origin它就是這個字的來源。 The word comes from Latin dormiō, "I sleep,"這個字來自拉丁文 dormiō，意思是「我在睡」， through French and Middle English經過法文和中古英文傳下來。

Though actually, we do not use dormant for a person who is in bed tonight; that is asleep or sleepy. Dormant is for a long pause in a thing, a place, or a process.

Though actually, we do not use dormant for a person who is in bed tonight不過其實我們不會用 dormant 來形容今晚在床上睡覺的人， that is asleep or sleepy那種情況要用 asleep 或 sleepy。 Dormant is for a long pause in a thing, a place, or a processdormant 是用在一件事、一個地方，或一個過程長時間的停頓。