deafness

From Middle English deefnesse; equivalent to deaf +‎ -ness.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈdɛfnəs/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

deafness (countable and uncountable, plural deafnesses)

1. The condition of being deaf; the lack or loss of the ability to hear.
   • 1965, Frank Herbert, Dune‎ (Science Fiction), New York: Ace Books, →OCLC, page 47‎:

     Paul wet his lips with his tongue, read: “ ‘Think you of I the fact that a deaf person cannot hear. Then, what deafness may we not all possess? What senses do we lack that we cannot see and cannot hear another world all around us? What is there around us that we cannot—’ ”

2. (figurative) Lack of knowledge or refusal to admit a particular problem, issue, etc.

   their deafness to her cries

• deaf
• deafen

• anosmia
• blindness