From Middle English deef, from Old English dēaf, from Proto-West Germanic *daub, from Proto-Germanic *daubaz, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- (“to whisk, smoke, darken, obscure”). Cognate with Ancient Greek τυφλός (tuphlós, “blind”). See also dumb. Doublet of daff, dof, and dowf.

• IPA^(key): /dɛf/
• (dated, regional US and England) IPA^(key): /diːf/^[1]
• (Early Modern) IPA^(key): /dɛːf/^[2]

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛf
• Homophones: Deaf, def; death (th-fronting)

deaf (comparative deafer, superlative deafest)

1. Unable to hear, or only partially able to hear.

   My brother has been deaf since sustaining injuries in the war.

   It's important for TV shows to provide closed captioning for the deaf.

   • 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:

     Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf.

   • 1665 (first performance), John Dryden, The Indian Emperour, or, The Conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards. […], London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for H[enry] Herringman […], published 1667, →OCLC, Act I, scene ii, page 6:

     Deaf vvith the noyſe I took my haſty flight.

2. Unwilling to listen or be persuaded; determinedly inattentive; regardless.

   Those people are deaf to reason.

   • c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:

     O, that men's ears should be / To counsel deaf, but not to flattery!

   • 1769, Firishta, translated by Alexander Dow, Tales translated from the Persian of Inatulla of Delhi, volume I, Dublin: P. and W. Wilson et al., page 12:

     The curioſity of the lady was highly inflamed, to know the hiſtory of the parrot's tranſmigration, which ſhe intreated the bird with all her eloquence to relate; but he preſented a deaf ear to her importunity, and, like a painted nightingale, remained ſilent.

3. Of or relating to the community of deaf people.
   • 1994, Bruce N. Snider, Carol Erting, Robert C. Johnson, The Deaf Way, page 734:

     The best place to fight Hollywood deafism is in our deaf schools. If we give our children understanding and appreciation of our rich culture and sign language, the students will gain a deaf heritage and become more creative, more aware, and more assertive global deaf citizens.

4. (obsolete) Obscurely heard; stifled; deadened.
   • 1717, John Dryden [et al.], “(please specify |book=I to XV)”, in Ovid’s Metamorphoses in Fifteen Books. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:

     A deaf murmur through the squadron went.

5. (obsolete, UK, dialect) Decayed; tasteless; dead.

   a deaf nut; deaf corn

   • 1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “(please specify |book=I to XXXVII)”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. […], (please specify |tome=1 or 2), London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC:

     If the season be unkindly and intemperate, they [peppers] will catch a blast; and then the seeds will be deafe, void, light, and naught.

• hard of hearing
• hearing-impaired

• ageusic
• anosmic
• blind

• inaudible (unable to be heard)

deaf (plural deafs)

1. (nonstandard, rare) A deaf person.
   • 1897, József Jekelfalussy, The Millennium of Hungary and Its People‎^[2], page 347:

     Among the second group of philanthropic educational institutions the institutes for the deafs and dumbs must be mentioned.

   • 1980, Cao Van Vien, Van Khuyen Dong, Reflections on the Vietnam War‎^[3]:

     Negotiations for South Vietnam's political future and the enforcement of cease-fire between two sides progressed like a conversation between two deafs.

   • 2014, Chelsea Handler, My Horizontal Life‎^[4], →ISBN:

     "I work with the blind mostly. Some deafs too," I told her.

   • 2015, Judith Richards, The Sounds of Silence‎^[5], →ISBN:

     Two deafs did not always make deaf babies.

Used primarily within the deaf community.

deaf (third-person singular simple present deafs, present participle deafing, simple past and past participle deafed)

1. (obsolete, transitive) To deafen.
   • 1634, John Fletcher, William Shakespeare, Two Noble Kinsmen:

     It is enough, my hearing shall be punish'd With what shall happen, -- 'gainst the which there is No deafing -- but to hear, not taint mine eye With dread sights that it may shun.

   • 1680, John Dryden, “Canace to Macareus”, in Ovid, Ovid’s Epistles, […], London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC, page 13:

     Svvift as a VVhirl-vvind to the Nurſe he flyes; / And deafs his ſtormy Subjects vvith his cries.

   • 1871, Charlse Hindlley, A Kicksey Winsey: Or a Lerry Come-Twang:

     Shall we, I say, that have been so long civil and wealthy in peace, famous and invincible in war, fortunate in both, we that have been ever able to aid any of our neighbours (but never deafed any of their ears with any of our supplications for assistance) shall we, I say, without blushing, abase ourselves so far, as to imitate these beastly Indians, slaves to the Spaniards, refuse to the world, and as yet aliens from the holy covenant of God?

• Deafness on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Deaf culture on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

• EDFA, FDEA, fade

From Proto-West Germanic *daub.

Germanic cognates include Old Frisian dāf, Old Saxon dōf (Low German dow), Old High German toub (German taub), Old Norse daufr (Swedish döv). The Indo-European root is also the source of Greek τυφλός (tyflós, “blind”).

• IPA^(key): /dæ͜ɑːf/

dēaf

1. deaf
   • late 10th century, Ælfric, Lives of Saints

     Fif and twentiġ manna myslīċe ġeuntrume cōmon tō þām hālgan heora hǣle biddende; sum wǣron blinde, sume wǣron healte, sume ēac dēafe, and dumbe ēac sum and hī ealle wurdon ānes dæġes ġehǣlede þurh þæs hālgan þingunge and him hām ġewendon.

     Twenty-five men, sickened in various ways, came to the saint begging for the health; some were blind, some were lame, some were also deaf, and some were dumb, and they were all healed in one day through the intercession of the saint and went home.

• Middle English: deef, def
  • English: deaf
  • Scots: deef, deif, deaf