dumbness

English

Etymology

From Middle English dombenesse, from Old English dumbnes; equivalent to dumb +‎ -ness.

Noun

dumbness (usually uncountable, plural dumbnesses)

1. The state of being dumb or mute: that is, of not communicating vocally, whether from selective mutism (refusal to speak) or from an inability to speak.
   • 1944, Emily Carr, The House of All Sorts, "Sissy's Job," [1]

     He was a deaf-mute. His dumbness did not seem to matter when we were boys.

2. Muteness, silence; abstention from speech.
   • 1611 Shakespeare, William [first known show: 15 May 1611; posthumous publication: 1623], Winter's Tale, Act 5, Scene 2:

     There was speech in their dumbness.

3. Show or gesture without words; pantomime; dumb-show.
   • 1623 Shakespeare, William [posthumous publication], Timon of Athens, Act 1, Scene 1:

     To the dumbness of the gesture one might interpret.

4. (informal) The quality of being stupid or foolish.

Related terms

• dumb
• dumb-show

Translations

the state of being dumb

• Aramaic:

  Classical Syriac: ܚܪܫܘܬܐ

• Finnish: tyhmyys (fi)
• Georgian: სიმუნჯე (simunǯe)
• German: Stummheit (de) f, Mutitas f (medicine)
• Irish: bailbhe f, balbhántaíocht f
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Italian: mutezza f
• Latin: alogia f
• Middle English: dombenesse
• Romanian: muțenie (ro) f
• Russian: немота́ (ru) f (nemotá)
• Turkish: dilsizlik (tr)