Skip to main content
silent

silent

8 6.1
Done without asking the user or showing messages
  • adjective
  • /ˈsaɪlənt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : silencioso
  • You know it was a silent operation.
  • silent mode
  • silent system

Examples

  • When established in silent mode of operation, it must have the option to switch to the user interaction method.

    Blog text (3)
  • You can enable silent updates just as you describe.

    Blog text (32)
  • Activate the silent alarm.

  • NZXT runs in quote silent mode by default, which still wouldn't reduce it to worse than a stock cooler.

  • The software performed a silent update, requiring no input from the user.

  • The printer operates in silent mode, ensuring minimal noise during printing.

  • During the silent installation, the application completed all tasks without interrupting the user.

Antonyms

98 4.0

Allow people to take part and respond, often using technology

Idioms

silent as the grave
  • Literature
1 5.7

Completely quiet with no sound at all

Compounds

silent treatment
  • Offensive
16 5.5

Refusing to speak to someone to show you are angry or upset

A person who gives money to a business but does not help run it or show they are involved

10 3.2

A film with no recorded sound or spoken words

silent majority
  • Literature
7 5.6

A large group of people who do not speak in public yet hold views not heard from loud groups

A movie made without recorded sound that often has live music

Strangely quiet in a way that makes you feel scared

1 7.7

A secret conflict between people or groups that is not shown openly

silent butler
  • Archaic
9.9

A small handheld container with a lid for collecting crumbs or ashes

8.7

A very quiet sound a cat makes by opening its mouth with almost no sound

9.9

A quiet, weak complaint that people often ignore

How Interactive

interactive
98 4.0
manual
101 3.8
automated
74 4.0
silent
  • Specialized
8 6.1

Surface Forms

silent positive

Morphology

silent = silence (transparent) = silence + ent

Formed with the standard adjective-forming suffix '-ent' from the noun 'silence', and the computing sense is a straightforward extension of 'quiet' (no output).

Etymology

Silent comes from the Latin silere, 'to be quiet', and shares that root with silence. So a silent install or update runs quietly without messages or questions for the user.