Quiescent: In a state or condition of quietness; motionless; inactive; dormant.*
Seeds in storage are said to be quiescent. They are purposely kept dry and cool to prevent them from germinating. When the seeds are given the right environmental conditions – water and warmth – they break dormancy and start to germinate.
*”quiescent, adj. and n.” OED Online, Oxford University Press, January 2018, www.oed.com/view/Entry/156496. Accessed 9 February 2018.
