deaf  (d ĕf)
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adj. deaf·er, deaf·est 1. Partially or completely lacking in the sense of hearing. 2. often Deaf Of or relating to the Deaf or their culture. 3. Unwilling or refusing to listen; heedless: was deaf to our objections. n. (used with a pl. verb)1. Deaf people considered as a group. Used with the. 2. often Deaf The community of deaf people who use American Sign Language as a primary means of communication. Used with the.
[Middle English def, deef, from Old English dēaf.]
deafly adv. deafness n.
Usage Note: The rise of the Deaf Pride movement in the 1980s introduced a distinction between deaf and Deaf, with the capitalized form used specifically in referring to deaf persons belonging to the community—also known as Deaf culture—that has formed around the use of American Sign Language as the preferred means of communication. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices
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Indo-European Roots
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