extinguir (spanish) - meaning, definition, translation, pronunciation

Part of Speech

Verb

Phonetic Transcription

/eks.tinˈɡiɾ/

Translation Options into English

• To extinguish
• To put out
• To eliminate

Meaning and Usage

"Extinguir" is a transitive verb in Spanish that means to extinguish or to put out, particularly in the context of fire. It can also refer to the act of eliminating something or to cause something to cease to exist. The word is commonly used both in legal contexts, such as extinguishing rights or obligations, as well as in everyday situations related to fires or lights.

Frequency of Use: "Extinguir" is frequently used in both oral and written Spanish, particularly in contexts involving fire safety, environmental discussions, or legal terminologies.

Example Sentences

1. "Los bomberos lograron extinguir el fuego rápidamente."
   "The firefighters were able to extinguish the fire quickly."

2. "Debemos extinguir nuestras deudas antes de planear unas vacaciones."
   "We need to eliminate our debts before planning a vacation."

3. "La ley permite extinguir los contratos bajo ciertas condiciones."
   "The law allows for the extinguishment of contracts under certain conditions."

Idiomatic Expressions

Although "extinguir" is not widely used in idiomatic expressions, its root concept of extinguishing has several figurative uses. Here are some examples demonstrating how "extinguir" can appear in various contexts:

1. "Extinguir las esperanzas"
   "To extinguish hopes."
   "Los constantes rechazos empezaron a extinguir las esperanzas del candidato."
   "The constant rejections began to extinguish the candidate's hopes."

2. "Extinguir un conflicto"
   "To extinguish a conflict."
   "El mediador trató de extinguir el conflicto entre las partes."
   "The mediator tried to extinguish the conflict between the parties."

3. "Extinguir la llama de la guerra"
   "To extinguish the flame of war."
   "Las negociaciones eran cruciales para extinguir la llama de la guerra."
   "The negotiations were crucial to extinguish the flame of war."

Etymology

The word "extinguir" comes from the Latin "extinguere," which means 'to quench, to put out, to extinguish'. The Latin root "stinguere" means to 'quench’ or ‘put out,’ combined with the prefix "ex-" which means 'out of’ or 'from'.

Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms: - Apagar (to put out) - Eliminar (to eliminate) - Suprimir (to suppress)

Antonyms: - Encender (to light, to ignite) - Avivar (to revive, to kindle) - Incrementar (to increase)