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definitions

deaf without speech

adjective

  1. (usually of a prelingually deaf person) able to utter sounds but not speak
  2. (as collective noun; preceded by the)the deaf without speech

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Nearby words

  1. deadwork,
  2. deaerate,
  3. deaf,
  4. deaf aid,
  5. deaf as a post,
  6. deaf-and-dumb,
  7. deaf-blind,
  8. deaf-mute,
  9. deafblind,
  10. deafen

usage

Using this word to refer to people without speech is considered outdated and offensive, and should be avoided. The phrase profoundly deaf is a suitable alternative in many contexts
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012