voiceless

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈvɔɪsləs/ UK /ˈvɔɪsləs/ See IPA manual

Freq #61709

Meanings

1

adj
unable to speak or produce a normal vocal sound

The throat injury left her temporarily voiceless.
2

adj
not spoken or expressed in words; silent

He stood beside the grave in voiceless grief.
3

adj
lacking representation, influence, or the power to make one's views heard

The inquiry sought testimony from residents who had long felt voiceless.
4

adj
in phonetics, produced without vibration of the vocal folds

In English, /s/ is a voiceless consonant, while /z/ is voiced.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · unable to speak or produce... mute speechlessaphonic

2 adj · not spoken or expressed in... unspoken silentwordless

3 adj · lacking representation,... unrepresentedpowerless disenfranchised

4 adj · in phonetics, produced... unvoiced

Opposites

voiced vocal spoken represented

Word family

Derived forms voicelesslyvoicelessness

Related forms voicevocal foldsdisenfranchised

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

voiceless consonant
a consonant produced without vibration of the vocal cords

Adjective + noun

Etymology

Formed from voice + -less. Voice entered Middle English through Old French vois from Latin vox, vocis, 'voice, utterance.' The literal absence of vocal sound broadened to unexpressed feeling and lack of social or political influence; phonetics uses the word precisely for sounds made without vocal-fold vibration.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# voiceless

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈvɔɪsləs/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈvɔɪsləs/
**Frequency rank:** 61709

## Meanings
1. unable to speak or produce a normal vocal sound
2. not spoken or expressed in words; silent
3. lacking representation, influence, or the power to make one's views heard
4. in phonetics, produced without vibration of the vocal folds

## Examples
- The throat injury left her temporarily voiceless.
- He stood beside the grave in voiceless grief.
- The inquiry sought testimony from residents who had long felt voiceless.
- In English, /s/ is a voiceless consonant, while /z/ is voiced.

## Synonyms
- mute
- speechless
- unspoken
- silent
- unrepresented
- unvoiced

## Antonyms
- voiced
- vocal
- spoken
- represented

## Derived Forms
- voicelessly
- voicelessness

## Related Forms
- voice
- vocal folds
- disenfranchised

## Etymology
Formed from voice + -less. Voice entered Middle English through Old French vois from Latin vox, vocis, 'voice, utterance.' The literal absence of vocal sound broadened to unexpressed feeling and lack of social or political influence; phonetics uses the word precisely for sounds made without vocal-fold vibration.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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