moribund

[ mawr-uh-buhnd, mor- ]

adjective

1. in a dying state; near death:

   He arrived at the hospital moribund, and passed away a few hours later.

2. on the verge of extinction or termination:

   moribund species, largely due to human encroachment on their natural habitat.

3. not progressing or advancing; stagnant:

   a moribund political party.

moribund

/ ˈmɒrɪˌbʌnd /

adjective

1. near death
2. stagnant; without force or vitality

Derived Forms

• ˌmoriˈbundity, noun
• ˈmoriˌbundly, adverb

Other Words From

• mori·bundi·ty noun
• mori·bundly adverb
• un·mori·bund adjective
• un·mori·bundly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of moribund¹

First recorded in 1715–25; from Latin moribundus “dying,” equivalent to mori- (stem of morī “to die”) + -bundus adjective suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of moribund¹

C18: from Latin, from morī to die

Example Sentences

Last year Nigeria’s parliament reported that over the previous decade the state had spent a staggering $25bn trying and failing to fix the moribund facilities.

From BBC

His last coaching job was at Nevada Las Vegas, where he temporarily revived a moribund program.

From Los Angeles Times

The collective, known as the West Coast Get Down, helped revive the formerly moribund L.A. jazz scene and created a pipeline of young talent.

From Los Angeles Times

And when the veteran Rams receiver returned to the lineup Thursday night after a four-game absence, the recently moribund offense anticipated a welcome jolt.

From Los Angeles Times

The Biden administration, including Harris as vice president, promised to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in moribund coal towns.

From Los Angeles Times