Etymology
From Middle English deefnesse; equivalent to deaf (from Middle English deef, from Old English dēaf, from Proto-West Germanic *daub, from Proto-Germanic *daubaz, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- meaning “to whisk, smoke, darken, obscure”) + -ness.
Noun
deafness (countable and uncountable, plural deafnesses)
- The condition of being deaf; the lack or loss of the ability to hear.
- (figurative) Lack of knowledge or refusal to admit a particular problem, issue, etc.
- I did not appreciate the committee's deafness to our complaints.
Derived terms
- inattentional deafness
- peri-lingual deafness
- post-lingual deafness
- tone-deafness
Related terms
- deaf
- deafen
Credits
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