1. To abolish; to quench, as a flame; to cause loss of identity; to destroy. 2. In psychology, to progressively abolish a previously conditioned response. See conditioning. [L. extinguo, to quench]
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ex·tin·guish ik-'stiŋ-(g)wish vt to cause extinction of (a conditioned response) <\extinguish an avoidance response>
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ex·tin·guish (ek-stingґwish) [L. extinguere] to render extinct.Medical dictionary. 2011.