ScienceAugust 18, 2026

extant

EK-stant

Definition

Still in existence; surviving, rather than extinct.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin word 'extans', meaning 'standing out' or 'projecting', which evolved in English to describe things that have 'stood the test of time' and still exist today.

In the news

The article uses the word to distinguish between modern, living beetles and ancient fossilized specimens, noting that the beetle's unique antennal structure is unknown among any extant species.

100-Million-Year-Old Beetle Preserved In Amber Has A Structure That Scientists Have Never Seen Before In Any Animal Living Or Extinct

Read the full article ↗

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