Definition

1. Noun:
   • A deaf person who is unable to speak: This term refers to an individual who has significant hearing loss from birth or an early age and, as a consequence, has not developed the ability to speak verbally. It is an older, descriptive term.

Usage

• The term is used to describe a person's physical condition of being both deaf and non-speaking. It is important to note that this term is now often considered outdated and potentially offensive. Modern, preferred terminology emphasizes the person first and uses more precise and respectful language, such as "deaf person" or "individual who is deaf and non-speaking."

Examples

• Noun:
  • The school provided special resources for the deaf-and-dumb person.
  • In the historical record, he was described as a deaf-and-dumb person.

Advanced Usage

• The term "deaf-and-dumb" is largely archaic. In contemporary contexts, the "dumb" component (meaning mute or unable to speak) is considered pejorative because it can imply a lack of intelligence. The condition is more accurately described as being prelingually deaf, which affects speech acquisition.
• "deaf-mute": An older synonym for "deaf-and-dumb person," also now generally avoided for similar reasons.

Variants and Related Words

• Deaf (adj/n): Having a hearing impairment. This is the preferred, neutral term.
• Non-speaking (adj): Describing a person who does not use verbal speech to communicate. This is a respectful, descriptive term.
• Prelingually deaf (adj): Deafness that occurred before the acquisition of spoken language.

Synonyms

• Deaf-mute: (Archaic) A person who is deaf and does not speak.
• Person who is deaf and non-verbal: A more modern and person-first phrasing.

Important Note on Usage

• The compound term "deaf-and-dumb person" is the target word. Its components ("deaf," "dumb") have distinct meanings but are presented here only as part of the defined compound. It is crucial to understand that the standalone word "dumb" primarily means "lacking intelligence" in modern English and is a highly offensive term when applied to a person. Its historical meaning of "mute" is obsolete in common usage. Therefore, the compound term itself is dated and should be used with great caution, typically only in historical or specific legal/medical contexts where the term appears. For general use, the synonyms and related words listed above are strongly recommended.

Noun

1. a deaf person who is unable to speak