DEFINITIONS
The
2019 WORD
OF THE YEAR is...

stone-deaf

[ stohn-def ]
/ ˈstoʊnˈdɛf /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR stone-deaf ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

totally deaf.

Content related to stone-deaf

tonsil stonesRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE
A Look At American Sign LanguageAmerican Sign Language, or ASL, is the visual signing language used by the Deaf community in the United States.
READ MORE

Words related to stone-deaf

deaf, hearing-impaired, stone-deaf

Words nearby stone-deaf

stone-, stone-blind, stone-broke, stone-cold, stone-dead, stone-deaf, stone-ground, stone-hearted, stone-lily, stoneboat, stonecast

Origin of stone-deaf

First recorded in 1830–40; stone + deaf
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for stone deaf

stone-deaf

adjective

completely deaf

usage for stone-deaf

Use of this word to refer to people with serious hearing difficulties is potentially very offensive: preferred form: profoundly deaf
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

Idioms and Phrases with stone deaf

stone deaf

Totally unable to hear, as in Poor Grandpa, in the last year he's become stone deaf. [First half of 1800s]

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.