silent
making no sound; quiet; still: a silent motor.
refraining from speech.
speechless; mute.
not inclined to speak; taciturn; reticent.
characterized by absence of speech or sound: a silent prayer.
unspoken; tacit: a silent assent.
omitting mention of something, as in a narrative: The records are silent about this crime.
inactive or quiescent, as a volcano.
not sounded or pronounced: The “b” in “doubt” is a silent letter.
Movies. not having spoken dialogue or a soundtrack.
Medicine/Medical. producing no symptoms: silent gallstones.
Usually silents. silent films.
Origin of silent
1synonym study For silent
Other words for silent
Opposites for silent
Other words from silent
- si·lent·ly, adverb
- si·lent·ness, noun
- o·ver·si·lent, adjective
- o·ver·si·lent·ly, adverb
- o·ver·si·lent·ness, noun
- su·per·si·lent, adjective
- su·per·si·lent·ly, adverb
- un·si·lent, adjective
- un·si·lent·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for silent
/ (ˈsaɪlənt) /
characterized by an absence or near absence of noise or sound: a silent house
tending to speak very little or not at all
unable to speak
failing to speak, communicate, etc, when expected: the witness chose to remain silent
not spoken or expressed: silent assent
not active or in operation: a silent volcano
(of a letter) used in the conventional orthography of a word but no longer pronounced in that word: the ``k'' in ``know'' is silent
denoting a film that has no accompanying soundtrack, esp one made before 1927, when such soundtracks were developed
a silent film
Origin of silent
1Derived forms of silent
- silently, adverb
- silentness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for silent
[ sī′lənt ]
Relating to a mutation that changes a nucleotide in a codon without a difference in the amino acid for which it is coded. See more at point mutation.
Producing no detectable signs or symptoms, as a medical condition such as heart attack.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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