What does deaved mean?
Deaved is a rare English word meaning deafened or deprived of hearing. It can function as an adjective, as in “the deaved witness,” or as the past tense and past participle of the archaic verb deave, “to make deaf.” The expression now has a strongly literary, archaic, and occasionally regional character; in ordinary modern English, deafened is normally clearer and more idiomatic. Deaved comes from deave, an older English verb descended through Middle English from Old English deafian, ultimately associated with the Germanic root behind deaf and its cognates in languages such as German, Dutch, and Old Norse. Though no longer common in neutral prose, the word remains useful because it preserves both an older vocabulary family and the vivid sense of hearing being overwhelmed or taken away. Its rarity also makes it especially recognizable in poetry, historical writing, and quotations, where it may sound forceful without being confused with deaf as a general condition.
Deprived of hearing; deafened.
"The witness remained deaved after the sudden blast."
Chiefly literary or archaic; deafened is preferred in ordinary modern usage.
Past tense and past participle of deave: to make deaf or deafen.
"Years of noise had deaved him."
The verb deave is now archaic, rare, and chiefly literary.
Deaved belongs to an old English family that includes deave, deafen, and deafness.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does deaved come from?
Deaved is the past tense and past participle of deave and also an adjective formed from that verb. Deave comes from Middle English deven, from Old English deafian, a derivative of deaf. English deaf is cognate with Old Norse daufr, Dutch doof, and German taub, all reflecting a Germanic word associated with the absence of hearing.
Related word forms
How deaved is actually used
Deaved is now rare and chiefly literary, archaic, or regional. In neutral modern English, deafened is generally preferred. Its forcefulness can also imply that hearing has been overwhelmed or taken away rather than merely naturally impaired.
Easily confused with deaved
Deaf describes a person who lacks hearing, while deaved describes someone who has been made deaf or has become unable to hear.
Deafened is the usual modern equivalent of deaved, which is now chiefly literary or archaic.