muted

[myoo-tid] /ˈmyu tɪd/
adjective
1.
of low intensity and reduced volume; softened:
She spoke in muted tones.
Origin
1860-65; mute + -ed2
Related forms
mutedly, adverb
unmuted, adjective

mute

[myoot] /myut/
adjective, muter, mutest.
1.
silent; refraining from speech or utterance.
2.
not emitting or having sound of any kind.
3.
incapable of speech; dumb.
4.
(of letters) silent; not pronounced.
5.
Law. (of a person who has been arraigned) making no plea or giving an irrelevant response when arraigned, or refusing to stand trial (used chiefly in the phrase to stand mute).
6.
Fox Hunting. (of a hound) hunting a line without giving tongue or cry.
noun
7.
Offensive. a person incapable of speech.
8.
an actor whose part is confined to dumb show.
9.
Law. a person who stands mute when arraigned.
10.
Also called sordino. a mechanical device of various shapes and materials for muffling the tone of a musical instrument.
11.
Phonetics. a stop.
12.
British Obsolete. a hired mourner at a funeral; a professional mourner.
verb (used with object), muted, muting.
13.
to deaden or muffle the sound of.
14.
to reduce the intensity of (a color) by the addition of another color.
Origin
1325-75; < Latin mūtus dumb; replacing Middle English muet < Middle French, equivalent to Old French mu (< Latin mūtus) + unexplained suffix -et; cf. -et
Related forms
mutely, adverb
muteness, noun
Can be confused
moot, mute.
Antonyms
1. talkative.
Usage note
See dumb.
Examples from the web for muted
  • The galleries are undeniably simple, with tranquil, muted sage walls and almost no text to be found.
  • Stock up on sturdy ceramic dishware and quality table linens in muted colors that can be dressed up for any occasion.
  • The enthusiasm was more muted, however, among prospective students.
  • These emotional responses are typically muted compared with the real thing.
  • As she drives out of the hollow, clumps of fog wreathe the ridgeline, and the mountainsides are washed in muted greens and grays.
  • But the critiques to this point have been fairly muted and it is unclear whether it will become a major controversy.
  • Your ability to appreciate pleasures would be muted if you are constantly worried about how to pay your bills.
  • In relevant stories, heroism is muted, though may be implied.
  • On follow-up she reported that these muted the discomfort a bit, but she still suffered from itch.
  • Space looks too light purple and it all seems a little muted in colour.
British Dictionary definitions for muted

muted

/ˈmjuːtɪd/
adjective
1.
(of a sound or colour) softened: a muted pink shirt
2.
(of an emotion or action) subdued or restrained: his response was muted
3.
(of a musical instrument) being played while fitted with a mute: muted trumpet

mute1

/mjuːt/
adjective
1.
not giving out sound or speech; silent
2.
unable to speak; dumb
3.
unspoken or unexpressed: mute dislike
4.
(law) (of a person arraigned on indictment) refusing to answer a charge
5.
(phonetics) another word for plosive
6.
(of a letter in a word) silent
noun
7.
a person who is unable to speak
8.
(law) a person who refuses to plead when arraigned on indictment for an offence
9.
any of various devices used to soften the tone of stringed or brass instruments
10.
(phonetics) a plosive consonant; stop
11.
a silent letter
12.
an actor in a dumb show
13.
a hired mourner at a funeral
verb (transitive)
14.
to reduce the volume of (a musical instrument) by means of a mute, soft pedal, etc
15.
to subdue the strength of (a colour, tone, lighting, etc)
Derived Forms
mutely, adverb
muteness, noun
Usage note
Using this word to refer to people without speech is considered outdated and offensive and should be avoided. The phrase profoundly deaf is a suitable alternative in many contexts
Word Origin
C14: muwet from Old French mu, from Latin mūtus silent

mute2

/mjuːt/
verb
1.
(of birds) to discharge (faeces)
noun
2.
birds' faeces
Word Origin
C15: from Old French meutir, variant of esmeltir, of Germanic origin; probably related to smelt1 and melt
Word Origin and History for muted
adj.

1861, in reference to musical instruments, past participle adjective from mute (v.). Figuratively by 1879. Of colors by 1939. Related: mutedness.

mute

adj.

late 14c., mewet "silent," from Old French muet "dumb, mute" (12c.), diminutive of mut, mo, from Latin mutus "silent, speechless, dumb," probably from imitative base *meue- (cf. Sanskrit mukah "dumb," Greek myein "to be shut," of the mouth). Form assimilated in 16c. to Latin mutus.

v.

"deaden the sound of," 1861, from mute (n.). Related: Muted; muting.

n.

1570s, "stage actor in a dumb show;" 1610s as "person who does not speak," from mute (adj.). Musical sense first recorded 1811 of stringed instruments, 1841, of horns.

muted in Medicine

mute (myōōt)
adj.
Unable or unwilling to speak. n.
One who does not have the faculty of speech. No longer in technical use, considered offensive.