Speechless
/ˈspiːtʃ.ləs/noun
Unable or unwilling to speak, especially from shock or surprise.
Did you know?The word is built from Old English roots for "speech" plus "without," and it became a powerful way to describe the body’s silence when emotion, awe, or shock steals words away.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
spǣc
“speech, speaking”
Old English
OE
-lēas
“without, lacking”
Middle English
ME
speechles
“unable to speak; silent”
Modern English
English
speechless
“unable or unwilling to speak, especially from shock or surprise”
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