dumb

Middle English

/ˈdum(b)/

adj
Definitions
  • Lacking or failing to display the faculty of voice:
  • Powerless, ineffectual either inherently or due to events
  • Unknowledgeable; having no understanding or sense.
  • (of animals) Unwilling or unable to make a noise; quiet or silent.
  • (rare) Unrevealing, useless; having no important messages or lessons.
  • (rare) Having nothing to keep one busy or engaged.
  • (rare) Refusing to preach or evangelise.
  • (rare) Refusing to be conceited or vainglorious.

Etymology

Inherited from Old English dumb (unable to speak, speechless, silent, mute) inherited from Proto-Germanic *dumbaz (dumb, dull) root from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- (whisk, smoke, darken, obscure, black, deep, be obscured, plug, wedge, peg, be obscure, whirl, smoky, foggy, dim, mist, stupefaction, daze).

Origin

Proto-Indo-European

*dʰewbʰ-

Gloss

whisk, smoke, darken, obscure, black, deep, be obscured, plug, wedge, peg, be obscure, whirl, smoky, foggy, dim, mist, stupefaction, daze

Concept
Semantic Field

Basic actions and technology

Ontological Category

Action/Process

Kanji

煙

Emoji
🌋 🚬

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms