stom

From Middle Dutch stom, from Old Dutch stum, from Proto-West Germanic *stumm, from Proto-Germanic *stummaz. Cognate with German stumm, Old Saxon stum.

• IPA^(key): /stɔm/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔm

stom (comparative stommer, superlative stomst)

1. mute, unable to speak, as medical condition or species-determined

   Synonym: sprakeloos

2. speechless; soundless, silent

   Synonyms: sprakeloos, stil

   stomme films

   silent movies

3. wordless, non-verbal

   Synonyms: woordeloos, non-verbaal

   Spotprenten leveren vaak stomme kritiek.

   Cartoons often provide non-verbal criticism.

4. mentally dulling, soul-killing

   Synonyms: afstompend, geestdodend

5. stupid, dumb

   Synonyms: dom, dwaas, stompzinnig

6. foolish, senseless, piteous

   Synonym: dwaas

7. in compounds essentially reinforcing the sense

• The use of stom for ‘stupid’ is deprecated by the deaf community, since it is the proper word for ‘mute’ in the sense of people who cannot speak. It is, however, no less common usage, analogous to the use of dumb in English.

• Berbice Creole Dutch: stom
• Negerhollands: stom
• → English: stum, stoom
• → Papiamentu: stom (dated)

• M. J. Koenen & J. Endepols, Verklarend Handwoordenboek der Nederlandse Taal (tevens Vreemde-woordentolk), Groningen, Wolters-Noordhoff, 1969 (26th edition)

stom (uncountable stoms)

1. weather
   • 1931, Arie de Jong, Gramat Volapüka, § 256:

     Lio stom binon-li?

     What is the weather like?