Silent

How to spell silent

6 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce silent

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does silent mean?

1. adjectiveMaking or accompanied by no sound; completely quiet.
2. adjectiveNot expressed in words; refraining from speaking or stating something.

Silent in a sentence

• The library stayed silent throughout the exam.

• The contract was silent on who would cover repair costs.

• She gave a silent nod instead of answering aloud.

• He remained silent about his reasons for leaving the firm.

Where does silent come from?

Language of origin: Latin

The word comes from the Latin silere, a verb meaning 'to be still' or 'to keep quiet', from which the present participle silens (stem silent-) described something that makes no sound. English adopted it directly in the early 1500s as an adjective, slotting it neatly alongside the noun 'silence', which had arrived earlier through Old French from the related Latin silentium. The same family gives us 'silentary' contexts and the modern verb 'silence'. Because the root already supplies a clean -ent ending, the spelling is unusually regular: there are no doubled letters or hidden vowels to ambush a writer, which is why the word rarely trips up adults.

How the word is built

• sil- (from Latin silere: to be quiet)
• -ent (adjective suffix)