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deaf

[ def ]
/ dɛf /
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See synonyms for deaf on Thesaurus.com
adjective, deaf·er, deaf·est.
partially or wholly lacking or deprived of the sense of hearing; unable to hear.
refusing to listen, heed, or be persuaded; unreasonable or unyielding: deaf to all advice.
Deaf, of or relating to the Deaf or their cultural community: Deaf customs and values.
noun (used with a plural verb)
Deaf persons collectively (usually preceded by the): social services for the Deaf.
Usually the Deaf . Deaf persons who identify themselves as members of a community composed of Deaf persons and others who share in their culture.
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Origin of deaf

First recorded before 900; Middle English deef, Old English dēaf; cognate with Middle Low German dōf, Dutch doof, Old High German toub

how to pronounce deaf

Deaf is usually pronounced [def], /dɛf/, with the vowel of left. In uneducated speech the dialectal pronunciation [deef], /dif/, to rhyme with leaf, is still heard occasionally, but it is increasingly rare.

OTHER WORDS FROM deaf

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to deaf

headstrong, indifferent, oblivious, strong-willed, deafened, obstinate, earless, hard of hearing, stone-deaf, bullheaded, intractable, mulish, pertinacious, perverse, pigheaded, self-willed, stubborn, unaware, unconcerned, unhearing

How to use deaf in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for deaf

deaf
/ (dɛf) /
adjective
  1. partially or totally unable to hear
  2. (as collective noun; preceded by the)the deaf See also tone-deaf
refusing to heeddeaf to the cries of the hungry

Derived forms of deaf

deafly, adverbdeafness, noun

Word Origin for deaf

Old English dēaf; related to Old Norse daufr

undefined deaf

See elderly
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

Other Idioms and Phrases with deaf

deaf
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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