MUTENESS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does muteness mean? 

• MUTENESS (noun)
  The noun MUTENESS has 2 senses:

1. the condition of being unable or unwilling to speak

2. a refusal to speak when expected

  Familiarity information: MUTENESS used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MUTENESS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The condition of being unable or unwilling to speak

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

muteness; mutism

Context example:

her muteness was a consequence of her deafness

Hypernyms ("muteness" is a kind of...):

condition; status (a state at a particular time)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "muteness"):

deaf-muteness; deaf-mutism (congenital deafness that results in inability to speak)

Derivation:

mute (unable to speak because of hereditary deafness)

mute (expressed without speech)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A refusal to speak when expected

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

muteness; silence

Context example:

his silence about my contribution was surprising

Hypernyms ("muteness" is a kind of...):

uncommunicativeness (the trait of being uncommunicative)

Derivation:

mute (expressed without speech)

 Context examples 

The deficits range from almost complete muteness to a reduction in the fluency and rate of speech.

(Broca's Aphasia, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)