mute

[ myoot ]
/ myut /

adjective, mut·er, mut·est.

noun

verb (used with object), mut·ed, mut·ing.

to deaden or muffle the sound of.
to reduce the intensity of (a color) by the addition of another color.

QUIZZES

CAN YOU FEEL THE WEAL WITH THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ?

Did you collect all of last week’s words, but eftsoons forget what they mean? Don’t worry, we’re here to jog your memory. See how many words from the week of May 18 to 24 you can get right!
Question 1 of 7
weal
well-being, prosperity, or happiness.
the intervening time.
a somewhat prolonged, sharp, shrill cry, as of pain, fear, or surprise.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of mute

1325–75; < Latin mūtus dumb; replacing Middle English muet < Middle French, equivalent to Old French mu (< Latin mūtus) + unexplained suffix -et; cf. -et

ANTONYMS FOR mute

1 talkative.

usage note for mute

See dumb.

OTHER WORDS FROM mute

mute·ly, adverbmute·ness, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH mute

moot mute

Words nearby mute

mutato nomine, mutazila, mutazilite, mutch, mutchkin, mute, mute swan, muted, mutein, mutha, muti
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to muting

silent, speechless, dampen, subdue, soften, tongue-tied, silenced, quiet, muffled, mum, aphasic, muzzle, lower, benumb, soft-pedal, reduce, hush, drown, gag, deaden

Example sentences from the Web for muting

  • Joel Osteen wants to talk about muting your cell phone at the dinner table.

    No Gods, No Cops, No Masters|James Poulos|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST

  • Great eyebrows overhung his face, like ivy on a pollard oak, and under them two large brown eyes, as of an owl when muting.

    Lorna Doone|R. D. Blackmore

  • A continuous mute is a strip of muting felt of the proper thickness to be pushed in between the trios of strings.

    Piano Tuning|J. Cree Fischer

British Dictionary definitions for muting (1 of 2)

mute1
/ (mjuːt) /

adjective

noun

verb (tr)

to reduce the volume of (a musical instrument) by means of a mute, soft pedal, etc
to subdue the strength of (a colour, tone, lighting, etc)

Derived forms of mute

mutely, adverbmuteness, noun

Word Origin for mute

C14: muwet from Old French mu, from Latin mūtus silent

usage for mute

Using this word to refer to people without speech is considered outdated and offensive and should be avoided.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

British Dictionary definitions for muting (2 of 2)

mute2
/ (mjuːt) archaic /

verb

(of birds) to discharge (faeces)

noun

birds' faeces

Word Origin for mute

C15: from Old French meutir, variant of esmeltir, of Germanic origin; probably related to smelt 1 and melt
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

Medical definitions for muting

mute
[ myōōt ]

adj.

Unable or unwilling to speak.

n.

One who does not have the faculty of speech. No longer in technical use; considered offensive.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.