Other

silent

Syllabification: (si·lent)

Pronunciation: /ˈsīlənt/

Definition of silent

not making or accompanied by any sound:the woods were still and silent
(of a person) not speaking:she fell silent for a moment
not expressed aloud:a silent prayer
(of a letter) written but not pronounced, e.g., b in doubt.
(of a movie) without an accompanying soundtrack.
saying or recording nothing on a particular subject:the poems are silent on the question of marriage
(of a person) not prone to speak much; taciturn:I’m the strong, silent type

Phrases

(as) silent as the grave: see grave¹.
the silent majority: the majority of people, regarded as holding moderate opinions but rarely expressing them.
the silent treatment: a stubborn refusal to talk to someone, especially after a recent argument or disagreement.

late 15th century (in the sense 'not speaking'): from Latin silent- 'being silent', from the verb silere

Definition of silent in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

More results for silent