Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

dumbness

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.94 in modern English

Syllables: dumb-ness
IPA

13

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The state of being mute: that is, of not communicating vocally, whether from selective mutism (refusal to speak) or from an inability to speak.

Dated; Offensive; Uncountable

noun

Muteness, silence; abstention from speech.

Dated; Uncountable

noun

Show or gesture without words; pantomime; dumb-show.

Dated; Uncountable

noun

The quality of being stupid or foolish.

Informal; Uncountable

Example Sentences

"He was a deaf-mute. His dumbness did not seem to matter when we were boys."
"There was speech in their dumbness."
"To the dumbness of the gesture one might interpret."

Etymology

From Middle English dombenesse, from Old English dumbnes; equivalent to dumb + -ness. Cognate with Old Frisian dumbnisse (“folly, dumbness”).

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: dombenesse, dumbnes
Suffix: dumb

Usage

Inflected Forms

dumbnesses (plural) dumbnesse (alternative, obsolete)

Phrases

artificial dumbness dumb-show

Frequently Paired Words

dumb dumb-show

Synonyms

dumbhood denseness slow-wittedness

Questions

What does dumbness mean?: The state of being mute: that is, of not communicating vocally, whether from selective mutism (refusal to speak) or from an inability to speak.
Where does dumbness come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce dumbness

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