speechreading

[speech-ree-ding]

noun

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 impaired hearing.

Compare lipreading.

Origin of speechreading

First recorded in 1890–95; speech + read¹ + -ing¹

speechread

[speech-reed]

verb (used with or without object), speech·read

[speech-red] /ˈspitʃˌrɛd/, speech·read·ing [speech-ree-ding] /ˈspitʃˌri dɪŋ/.

to comprehend by speechreading.

Compare lipread.

Origin of speechread

speech + read¹

Related formsspeech·read·er [speech-ree-der] /ˈspitʃˌri dər/, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018