mute
mute Lexical Profile
mute Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Refraining from speech or temporarily unable to speak because of strong emotion or shock.
"The witnesses stood mute with astonishment as the historic bridge was demolished."
Physically lacking the faculty of speech; unable to speak.
"After the severe throat injury, the patient remained mute for several months during recovery."
Written in the spelling of a word but not pronounced (of a letter in linguistics).
"In the English word 'knight', the initial letter 'k' is completely mute."
• noun
A button or setting on a television, telephone, or audio device that temporarily turns off the sound or microphone.
"Please put your microphone on mute during the presentation if you are not speaking."
A mechanical device fitted to a brass, woodwind, or stringed musical instrument to deaden, soften, or alter the tone and volume of the sound produced.
"The jazz trumpeter inserted a cup mute into the bell of his horn to create a warm, smoky tone."
A person who is physically unable to speak, often used in historical contexts or to describe a silent actor in a pantomime.
"In the nineteenth-century melodrama, the key witness was played as a mute who communicated solely through gesture."
• verb
To deaden, muffle, or turn off the sound of (a voice, musical instrument, or electronic device).
"She quickly muted the television when her colleague called with urgent news."
To hide notifications, messages, or posts from (a user or conversation thread) on social media or a communication platform without blocking or unfollowing.
"He decided to mute the group chat for a few hours so he could focus on his report."
To tone down, soften, or make less intense (a color, emotion, or reaction).
"Thick autumn fog muted the bright colors of the maple trees along the valley."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'mute' (silent or speechless) with 'moot' (debatable or having little practical relevance). Additionally, using 'mute' as a noun to refer to a person with a speech disability is considered outdated and offensive; prefer 'nonverbal person' or 'person who is mute'.
• Rhymes for mute
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in Middle English from Old French 'muet', a diminutive form derived from Latin 'mūtus' ('silent, speechless'), which is ultimately of imitative origin.