deafness
English
editEtymology
editFrom Middle English deefnesse; equivalent to deaf + -ness.
Pronunciation
edit- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈdɛfnəs/
Audio (Southern England): (file)
Noun
editdeafness (countable and uncountable, plural deafnesses)
- The condition of being deaf; the lack or loss of the ability to hear.
- 1965, Frank Herbert, Dune[1] (Science Fiction), New York: Ace Books, →OCLC, page 47[2]:
- Paul wet his lips with his tongue, read: “ ‘Think you of I the fact that a deaf person cannot hear. Then, what deafness may we not all possess? What senses do we lack that we cannot see and cannot hear another world all around us? What is there around us that we cannot—’ ”
- (figurative) Lack of knowledge or refusal to admit a particular problem, issue, etc.
- their deafness to her cries
Derived terms
editRelated terms
editTranslations
editcondition of being deaf
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See also
editCategories:
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms suffixed with -ness
- English 2-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio pronunciation
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with quotations
- en:Hearing