dumbness

English

From Middle English dombenesse, from Old English dumbnes; equivalent to dumb +‎ -ness. Cognate with Old Frisian dumbnisse (“folly, dumbness”).

dumbness (usually uncountable, plural dumbnesses)

(dated) The state of being mute: that is, of not communicating vocally, whether from selective mutism (refusal to speak) or from an inability to speak.
- 1944, Emily Carr, “Sissy's Job”, in The House of All Sorts:
  He was a deaf-mute. His dumbness did not seem to matter when we were boys.
(dated) Muteness, silence; abstention from speech.
- c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:
  There was speech in their dumbness.
(dated) Show or gesture without words; pantomime; dumb-show.
- c. 1605–1608, 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 i]:
  To the dumbness of the gesture one might interpret.
(informal) The quality of being stupid or foolish.

the state of being mute

the quality of being stupid

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