Sleeping, not active, awaiting a stimulus to fulfil a function.
Inactive for a time.
In a state of non-growth, usually leafless or with leaves and stems having died back to the ground and the plant surviving as underground storage organs, thus evading winter cold or a dry season, (of seeds) In a state adapted to long-term survival and in which germination is not readily initiated. Seed dormancy can be broken in a variety of ways, including stratifying and scarifying of the seeds.