mutism

[myoo-tiz-uhm]

noun

Psychiatry.

1. an inability to speak, due to a physical defect, conscious refusal, or psychogenic inhibition.

mutism

/ ˈmjuːtɪzəm /

noun

1. the state of being mute

2. psychiatry

   1. a refusal to speak although the mechanism of speech is not damaged

   2. the lack of development of speech, due usually to early deafness

Word History and Origins

Origin of mutism¹

From the New Latin word mūtismus, dating back to 1815–25. See mute, -ism

Example Sentences

I was probably about 2 or 3 then, just trying to blab, because the early nurses I had when I was a kid had said that I had delayed speech or something called “selective mutism.”

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She also has selective mutism, driven by anxiety.

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Early intervention for children with mutism is recognised as crucial to prevent the problem continuing into adulthood.

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Richard Littler KC, representing Ratcliffe, had told the court the teenager had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and selective mutism.

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Selective mutism can start at any age but most often begins in early childhood between the ages of two and four.

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