This lovely pair of words has often been confused, but there is a shade of difference between them. There's just a tad of overlap, but not enough that they should be considered interchangeable.
Morbid, of course, means "sullen, gloomy, depressed, dark, morose, gruesome, or grisly." Okay, I think you get the idea. When you pass an accident, you just have to look because of a morbid curiosity. You know you want to. We all do.
Moribund, however, means "on the verge of death or extinction." The bald eagle has long been considered a moribund species.
It never ceases to amaze me when I hear this used incorrectly. Broadcasters are notorious for this. I'm watching a professional football game, basketball game, etc. A certain team is having just a horrendous season -- bad coaching, team turmoil, hideous play. The announcer suddenly refers to the team as "a moribund franchise."
Unless everyone on the team is about to drop dead or the team will soon be extinct, it's the incorrect usage. I must admit, however, that is something I'd like to see.
Call me morbidly curious.
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Your summary is entertaining, but quite incorrect. Moribund is indeed an adjective referring to dying, but not specific to living tissue as you insist. [Mori, Latin, to die]
ReplyDeleteOxford Dictionary includes the following:
- (of a thing) in terminal decline; lacking vitality or vigour
- ‘the moribund commercial property market’
Merriam-Webster gives two examples of usage -
-an actor who is trying to revive his moribund career
-The peace talks are moribund.
(By the definition of the word and your quoted example, the broadcasters that you are irritated by are using the word correctly)