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mutism

[myoo-tiz-uh m]
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noun Psychiatry.
  1. an inability to speak, due to a physical defect, conscious refusal, or psychogenic inhibition.
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Origin of mutism

From the New Latin word mūtismus, dating back to 1815–25. See mute, -ism
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for mutism

Historical Examples

  • The most constant feature was her mutism, but even that was a few times interrupted.

    Benign Stupors

    August Hoch

  • Her mutism and refusal of food she was unable to account for.

    Benign Stupors

    August Hoch

  • Later, this was followed by mutism, refusal to eat, and stupor.

  • Mutism, as used in psychiatry, is an abnormal inhibition to speech.

  • From the description this again seems to have been a typical stupor (immobility, mutism, tendency to catalepsy, rigidity).

    Benign Stupors

    August Hoch

British Dictionary definitions for mutism

mutism

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
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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

Word Origin and History for mutism

n.

"state of being mute," 1824, from French mutisme (1741), from Latin mutus (see mute (adj.)).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
mutism in Medicine

mutism

(myōō′tĭz′əm)
n.
  1. Absence of the faculty of speech.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.