Dumbstruck is a word that means being so surprised that one is unable to speak. The word is spelled with a "b" in the middle, even though it sounds like "dumstruck." The reason for the "b" is due to the word's history; it originally came from the Old English word "dumb," meaning "mute," and "stricken," meaning "smitten." The combination of the two words eventually became "dumbstruck." In IPA phonetic transcription, the word is pronounced /ˈdʌmstrʌk/.
Dumbstruck is an adjective that describes a state of being completely speechless or astonished to the point of being unable to utter a word. When someone is dumbstruck, they are so overwhelmed or surprised by a situation that it leaves them momentarily unable to speak or react.
The word is derived from the combination of two words: "dumb," meaning silent or unable to speak, and "struck," meaning affected or impacted by something. When put together, the term forms a vivid image of someone struck so profoundly that it renders them unable to find their voice or communicate verbally.
Dumbstruck is often used to convey a sense of awe, shock, or disbelief in response to an extraordinary or unexpected event. It captures the intensity of the emotional impact that renders a person momentarily frozen in amazement or astonishment.
This term can be applied to various situations, such as witnessing a remarkable performance, receiving surprising news, or experiencing an incomprehensible act. It signifies that the individual is not only rendered speechless but also deeply affected by whatever they have just encountered.
In summary, dumbstruck describes a state of being temporarily unable to speak due to overwhelming surprise, astonishment, or amazement. It epitomizes the notion of being struck silent by an event or circumstance that leaves one momentarily unable to find the words to express their thoughts or emotions.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "dumbstruck" is derived from two separate elements: "dumb" and "struck".
The term "dumb" originated from the Old English word "dumb" or "dumbb", which meant "mute" or "silent". In early usage, it referred to the inability to speak or to make sounds. Over time, the meaning of "dumb" expanded to describe someone who is unable to speak due to shock, surprise, or astonishment.
The second element, "struck", comes from the Old English word "strīcan" which means "to strike" or "to hit". In the context of "dumbstruck", it refers to being struck or hit with speechlessness or astonishment.
Combining the two elements together, "dumbstruck" describes a state of being completely speechless or amazed to the extent that one is struck silent.