Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
deaf-muteness

deaf-muteness

9.9
A condition in which a person is born unable to hear and so cannot speak
  • noun
  • /dɛf ˈmjuːtnəs/
  • Archaic
: sordomudez
  • Individuals with deaf-muteness often benefit from specialized education to help them develop their language abilities.

Examples

  • "A sort of deaf-muteness."

    My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown (1989)

  • Early intervention can significantly improve the lives of children with deaf-muteness by enhancing their communication skills.

  • The causes of deaf-muteness include genetic factors and early exposure to certain illnesses that affect hearing.

Synonyms

mute
vsdeaf-muteness
  • Offensive
10 9.8

Unable to speak, often because of deafness, and now considered offensive

is the neutral medical description of congenital hearing loss causing speech inability
deaf-mutism
vsdeaf-muteness
  • Archaic
9.9

A person born deaf who cannot speak because they did not hear language

is the alternate term for the same congenital lack of hearing and speech

Surface Forms

deaf-muteness singular
deaf-mutenesses plural

Morphology

deaf-muteness = deaf-mute (transparent) = deaf + mute + ness

Formed from 'deaf-mute' + the noun-forming suffix '-ness'; meaning (the state of being a deaf-mute) is directly predictable from the parts.

Etymology

Deaf-muteness combines deaf ('unable to hear') and mute ('unable to speak'), so it literally names the situation where hearing loss leads to not being able to speak.