surd

== English == === Etymology === 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. Doublet of surdo. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation, Australian) IPA(key): /sɜːd/ (US) enPR: sûrd, IPA(key): /sɝd/ (Scotland) IPA(key): /sʌɹd/ (New Zealand) IPA(key): /søːd/ (Liverpool, fair–fur merger) IPA(key): /seːd/ (Humberside, Teesside, fair–fur merger) IPA(key): /sɛːd/ Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)d === Noun === surd (plural surds) (arithmetic) An irrational number, especially one expressed using the √ symbol. (linguistics) A voiceless consonant. Antonym: sonant ==== Derived terms ==== === Adjective === surd (comparative more surd, superlative most surd) (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… (obsolete) unheard (mathematics) Involving surds, or irrational numbers; not capable of being expressed in rational numbers. (phonetics) unvoiced; voiceless Antonym: sonant ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== absurd === Anagrams === RUDs, Ruds, UDRS, Urds, ruds == Aromanian == === Alternative forms === surdu, nsurdu === Etymology === From Latin surdus. Compare Romanian surd. === Adjective === surd m (feminine surde, plural surdz, feminine plural surdi) deaf ==== Related terms ==== surdzest == Middle English == === Noun === surd (Lincolnshire and West Riding) alternative form of swerd (“sword”) == Romanian == === Etymology === Inherited from Latin surdus, from Proto-Indo-European *swer- (“ringing, whistling”). Compare Aromanian surdu. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /surd/ === Adjective === surd m or n (feminine singular surdă, masculine plural surzi, feminine/neuter plural surde) deaf ==== Declension ==== ==== Related terms ==== asurzi surditate surzi ==== See also ==== auzi mut orb