speechreading

American  

[speech-ree-ding] / ˈspitʃˌri dɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or process of determining the intended meaning of a speaker by utilizing all visual clues accompanying speech attempts, as lip movements, facial expressions, and bodily gestures, used especially by people with hearing loss.

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Etymology

Origin of speechreading

First recorded in 1890–95; speech + read ¹ + -ing ¹