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surd

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: sùrd

English

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Etymology

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First attested in the mid 16th century from Latin surdus (deaf, mute), used in mathematics for “irrational,” reflecting ἄλογος (álogos, irrational, speechless) as found in Euclid, apparently transmitted via Arabic جِذْر أَصَمّ (jiḏr ʔaṣamm, deaf root). The phonetic sense, “voiceless,” emerged in the 18th century.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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surd (plural surds)

  1. (arithmetic) An irrational number, especially one expressed using the √ symbol.
  2. (linguistics) A voiceless consonant.
    Antonym: sonant

Derived terms

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Adjective

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surd (comparative more surd, superlative most surd)

  1. (obsolete) Lacking the sense of hearing; deaf.
    • 1670s, published 1716, Thomas Browne, Christian Morals, part 3, section 6:
      …how all Words fall to the Ground, spent upon such a surd and Earless Generation of Men, stupid unto all Instruction…
  2. (obsolete) unheard
    • 1773, William Kenrick, A New Dictionary of the English Language, section 3, page 5:
      To this errour, of blending the ſurd and vocal modes of articulation together, may be added the too frequent uſe of compound articulations both vocal and ſurd.
  3. (mathematics) Involving surds, or irrational numbers; not capable of being expressed in rational numbers.
    a surd expression or quantity; a surd number
  4. (phonetics) unvoiced; voiceless
    Antonym: sonant
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Anagrams

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Aromanian

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Latin surdus. Compare Romanian surd.

Adjective

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surd m (feminine surde, plural surdz, feminine plural surdi)

  1. deaf
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Romanian

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Etymology

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Inherited from Latin surdus, from Proto-Indo-European *swer- (ringing, whistling). Compare Aromanian surdu.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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surd m or n (feminine singular surdă, masculine plural surzi, feminine and neuter plural surde)

  1. deaf

Declension

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singular plural
masculine neuter feminine masculine neuter feminine
nominative-
accusative
indefinite surd surdă surzi surde
definite surdul surda surzii surdele
genitive-
dative
indefinite surd surde surzi surde
definite surdului surdei surzilor surdilor
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See also

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