¹silent

adjective si·lent \ˈsī-lənt\

: not speaking or making noise

: tending not to talk much

: not having or making any sound or noise

Full Definition of SILENT

a : making no utterance : mute, speechless

b : indisposed to speak : not loquacious

: free from sound or noise : still

: performed or borne without utterance : unspoken <silent prayer> <silent grief>

a : making no mention <history is silent about this person>

b : not widely or generally known or appreciated <the silent pressures on a person in public office>

c : making no protest or outcry <the silent majority>

: unpronounced <the silent b in doubt>

: not exhibiting the usual signs or symptoms of presence <a silent infection>

a : made without spoken dialogue <silent movies>

b : of or relating to silent movies

— si·lent·ly adverb

— si·lent·ness noun

See silent defined for English-language learners

See silent defined for kids

Origin of SILENT

Middle English sylent, from Latin silent-, silens, from present participle of silēre to be silent; akin to Gothic anasilan to cease, grow calm

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to SILENT

Synonyms: dumb, mum, mute, muted, speechless, uncommunicative, wordless

Antonyms: communicative, speaking, talking

Synonym Discussion of SILENT

silent, taciturn, reticent, reserved, secretive mean showing restraint in speaking. silent implies a habit of saying no more than is needed <the strong, silent type>. taciturn implies a temperamental disinclination to speech and usually connotes unsociability <taciturn villagers>. reticent implies a reluctance to speak out or at length, especially about one's own affairs <was reticent about his plans>. reserved implies reticence and suggests the restraining influence of caution or formality in checking easy informal conversational exchange <greetings were brief, formal, and reserved>. secretive, too, implies reticence but usually carries a suggestion of deviousness and lack of frankness or of an often ostentatious will to conceal <the secretive research and development division>.