English vocabulary · C1
Moribund
/ˈmɔːrɪbʌnd/ · adj.
It means dying and having no power.
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Example sentences
- Her moribund business finally closed.
- The moribund trees had no leaves.
Word origin and roots
- mori — to die (from Latin)
- bundus — doing (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- dying (life or vitality is slowly slipping away)
- fading (something gradually loses its strength)
- ending (something is in its final stage)
Words with the same root
mori — to die
- mortal — subject to death — certain to die eventually
- immortal — not subject to death — living forever
- mortuary — a place where the bodies of the dead are kept
Lesson notes
Moribund. It means dying and having no power. An activity, organization, or person that is close to the end.
Similar words are dying, fading, and ending. Use moribund when things stop changing.
Her moribund business finally closed. The moribund trees had no leaves.
From Latin 'mori' meaning to die. Life that is ending is moribund.