deafness
Inability to hear
Deafness is the inability to hear, ranging from partial to complete.
It may be present from birth or acquired through age, illness, or injury.
The Deaf community—capitalized—refers to those who identify culturally with sign language and deaf institutions.
Figuratively, deafness suggests willful refusal to listen: His deafness to criticism ultimately cost him the job.
Reduced ability to perceive sound
- conductiveAllows energy transfer
- tinnitusPerceived phantom ear sounds
- audiologyStudy of hearing disorders
- audiologistHearing disorder specialist
audiogram · ear infection · otoscope · decibels · cochlea · eardrum · noise-induced · bilateral
Manual visual communication system
- BSLBritish sign language
- sign languageVisual-gestural communication system
- fingerspellingLetter-by-letter hand alphabet
- interpreterOne who conveys meaning between languages
Personal sound amplifiers
- cochlear implantsAuditory prostheses for deafness
- captioningAdding text to media
- speech-to-textAudio-to-written conversion technology
- TTYText-based telephone terminal
Science of the ear
- otolaryngologyStudy of ear, nose, throat
- vertigoSensation of spinning
- labyrinthitisInner ear canal swelling
- eustachian tubeEar-to-pharynx drainage channel
mastoiditis · ear canal · middle ear · inner ear · vestibular · ear surgery
Total absence of noise
- quietLacking in sound
- inaudibleCannot be heard
- noiselessProducing no sound
- muffledMade quieter, less distinct
faint · unheard · silence · stillness · soundproof
Complete separation from others
- exclusionBeing barred from participation
- marginalizationRelegation to powerless periphery
- communication barriersFactors hindering information exchange
- accessibilityEase of approach
inaccessibility · misunderstanding · stigma · discrimination · audism · advocacy · accommodation · inclusion
hearing loss
Reduced ability to perceive sound
- conductiveAllows energy transfer
- tinnitusPerceived phantom ear sounds
- audiologyStudy of hearing disorders
audiologist · audiogram · ear infection · otoscope · decibels · cochlea · eardrum · noise-induced · bilateral · unilateral
ASL
Manual visual communication system
- BSLBritish sign language
- sign languageVisual-gestural communication system
- fingerspellingLetter-by-letter hand alphabet
interpreter · visual language · lip reading · gestures · Gallaudet
hearing aids
Personal sound amplifiers
- cochlear implantsAuditory prostheses for deafness
- captioningAdding text to media
- speech-to-textAudio-to-written conversion technology
otology
Science of the ear
- otolaryngologyStudy of ear, nose, throat
- vertigoSensation of spinning
- labyrinthitisInner ear canal swelling
eustachian tube · mastoiditis · ear canal · middle ear · inner ear · vestibular · ear surgery
soundlessness
Total absence of noise
muffled · faint · unheard · silence · stillness · soundproof
isolation
Complete separation from others
- exclusionBeing barred from participation
- marginalizationRelegation to powerless periphery
- communication barriersFactors hindering information exchange
accessibility · inaccessibility · misunderstanding · stigma · discrimination · audism · advocacy · accommodation · inclusion · awareness
- pet healthvet visit, checkup, checkups, vaccinations, rabies vaccination
- afflictionsaffliction, ailment, disease, illness, malady
- earearlobe, eardrum, ear canal, inner ear, middle ear
- health effectsillness, disease, injury, harm, damage
- health problemsdisease, cancer, diabetes, illness, heart disease
- impairmentsimpairment, disability, paralysis, incapacity, blindness
deafnesshearing
Perceiving sound waves
audition · acute hearing · sharp hearing · keen hearing · perfect pitch
deafnessattentiveness
Concentrated awareness of surroundings
receptiveness · responsiveness · openness · listening · heedfulness
- partial deafnessReduced auditory capacity
- profound deafnessTotal auditory absence
deaf, deafening, deafen, deafened, hard of hearing, stone-deaf, hearing-impaired