extant

When something is extant, it means it still exists. The word is often used for species, old documents, and other things that have survived while others have disappeared. Dinosaurs are not extant, sadly. Squirrels are. If a document is described as "the only extant copy," that means it is the only copy still known to exist.

You probably will not use this word much in daily conversation, but you will often see it in writing about history, biology, and conservation. For example, scientists might study extant populations of a rare bird to understand how the species is still living today.

The word extant describes something that still exists today. It is often used when something could have been lost, destroyed, or died out, but has survived. Because of that, the word often carries the idea of survival through time.

It is especially common when people talk about species. If someone says a species is no longer extant, they mean it has died out. If they say a few extant populations remain, they mean a few groups still survive. You will also see the word in history and literature. An extant letter, record, or manuscript is one that still exists and can still be found or studied.

The word is not usually used for ordinary everyday things just because they exist. It sounds more natural when the survival matters: an extant copy of a medieval book, extant ruins of an ancient city, or extant species related to an older line of animals. In that way, extant points not just to existence, but to continued existence after loss, change, or the passing of time.