Wordwyrt

deafness

/ˈdefnəs/DEF-nuhs
UK form converted from the US by rule · unchecked
/ˈdɛfnəs/DEF-nuhs

Meaningthe state of being deaf

Common meaning: inability to hear

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Journey through time

  1. Old Englishdeafsource
  2. Middle Englishdeefsource
  3. Englishdeaf‘unable to hear’
  4. Englishformed in English from deafdeafness‘inability to hear’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Formed in English from deaf + -ness.

Dictionary: Skeat (1898), DEAF, p.154 · scan

Source words

  • deaf Old English · source word “deaf, dull”

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