Definition

The act of putting out a fire or stopping something from continuing, or the state of being stopped or ended.

Example

The extinguishment of the fire was a relief to everyone in the building.

Conversation

Did you hear about the extinguishment of that old law in our town?

Yeah, I read about it! It's about time they got rid of it.

I wonder how many people will be affected by the extinguishment of those regulations.

Probably a lot, but it might make things easier for everyone.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Extinguishment → It is formed from "ex-" (meaning out of or from) and "tinguere" (meaning to wet or to soak), combined with the suffix "-ment" (indicating the action or result of a verb). The word "extinguishment" refers to the act of putting out or extinguishing something, such as a fire, by removing it from its source or wetting it.

Memory Tip

Think of 'removing' ('ex-') something from its source and 'wetting' it ('tinguere') to put it out — that's why extinguishment means the act of putting something out.

Visually Confused Words