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si·lence

(sīləns)

1. The condition or quality of being or keeping still and silent.

2. The absence of sound; stillness.

3. A period of time without speech or noise.

4. Refusal or failure to speak out.

v.tr. si·lenced, si·lenc·ing, si·lenc·es

1. To make silent or bring to silence: silenced the crowd with a gesture.

2. To curtail the expression of; suppress: silencing all criticism; silenced their opponents.

3. Genetics To interfere with the expression of (a gene or gene segment) so that its biological function is suppressed.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin silentium, from silēns, silent-, present participle of silēre, to be silent.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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