nowdefunct

Nowdefunct is an English compound adjective used to describe something that once existed or operated but no longer does. The standard spelling is now-defunct; variants such as now defunct or simply nowdefunct are also found, particularly in headlines, branding, or digital text where space is limited or stylistic choices favor a single token.

Etymology and sense: The term combines now with defunct, the latter deriving from the Latin defunctus meaning "having ceased to exist or function." In English, defunct has long described things that are dead, void, or no longer in operation, and now-defunct selects the moment of status change to mark that the subject used to be active but is not anymore.

Usage and nuance: It is commonly applied to organizations, companies, websites, institutions, and products. It conveys a retrospective view, often used in historical summaries, business retrospectives, or encyclopedic entries. The phrase is typically prefixed to the noun (the now-defunct company) and, when used attributively, is commonly hyphenated, though hyphenation can vary by style guide.

Related terms: Defunct, extinct, closed, out of business, obsolete. The choice among them depends on precision: defunct emphasizes cessation, extinct emphasizes cessation of life in biological contexts, closed or out of business emphasizes current operational status; obsolete emphasizes outdatedness. See also historical entries and lists of defunct organizations.