extinction /ik'stiqkjn; ik'stiijkjan/ n [U] 1 making, being, becoming, extinct: 帳滅; 消紐; 毀滅; 絕種： a tribe threatened by ~; 有絕耗之虞的部落; research that may lead to the ~ of a disease. 可能導(dǎo)致滅絕某一疾病的研究工作。 2 act of extinguishing: 熄滅： the ~ of a fire/of sb's hopes. 火之熄滅(某人希望之幻滅)。