hearing-impaired
[ heer-ing-im-paird ]
adjective, noun
Usually Offensive. hard of hearing.
Origin of hearing-impaired
1First recorded in 1945–50
usage note For hearing-impaired
Hearing-impaired is perceived as an offensive term within the Deaf community because the word impaired implies damage, and it focuses on what the person cannot do. When referring to people with hearing loss, the preferred term is hard of hearing .
Words Nearby hearing-impaired
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
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