surd

surd
surd 1550s, "irrational" (of numbers), from L. surdus "unheard, silent, dull," possibly related to susurrus "a muttering, whispering" (see SUSURRATION (Cf. susurration)). The mathematical sense is from the use of L. surdus to translate Arabic (jadhr) asamm "deaf (root)," itself a loan-translation of Gk. alogos, lit. "speechless, without reason" (Euclid book x, Def.). In Fr., sourd remains the principal word for "deaf."

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • surd — SURD, Ă, surzi, de, adj. 1. (Adesea substantivat) Care nu aude (bine), lipsit (total sau parţial) de auz. ♦ fig. Care nu vrea să audă, să înţeleagă; neînduplecat, nesimţitor, fără suflet. ♢ loc. adv. (Substantivat) De( a) surda = în zadar,… …   Dicționar Român

  • Surd — Surd, n. (Math.) 1. A quantity which can not be expressed by rational numbers; thus, [root]2 is a surd. [1913 Webster] 2. (Phon.) A surd element of speech. See {Surd}, a., 4. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Surd — Surd, a. [L. surdus deaf (whence the meaning, deaf to reason, irrational), perhaps akin to E. swart. Cf. {Sordine}.] 1. Net having the sense of hearing; deaf. [Obs.] A surd . . . generation. Sir T. Browne. [1913 Webster] 2. Unheard. [Obs.]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Surd — may be:* A voiceless consonant * An unresolved mathematical expression of an nth root, or an irrational number that can be expressed as such a root of a rational number * Surd, Hungary, a village in Zala county, Hungary * Surd evil is another… …   Wikipedia

  • surd — [sʉrd] adj. [L surdus, deaf, dull, mute: used to transl. Gr alogos, irrational, lit., without reason] 1. Math. IRRATIONAL 2. Phonet. VOICELESS (adj. 6) n 1. an irrational number or quantity; specif., a root which can be expressed only… …   English World dictionary

  • surd — ► NOUN 1) Mathematics a number which is not expressible as a ratio of two whole numbers. 2) Phonetics a speech sound uttered with the breath and not the voice (e.g. f, k, p). ORIGIN from Latin surdus deaf, mute …   English terms dictionary

  • surd — ab·surd·i·ty; ab·surd·ly; ab·surd·ness; ab·surd·ism; ab·surd; ab·surd·ist; surd; …   English syllables

  • surd — I. adjective Etymology: Latin surdus deaf, silent, stupid Date: 1610 1. lacking sense ; irrational < surd conceits of scripture s sense Thomas Jackson > 2. voiceless used of speech sounds II. noun …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • surd — adj. & n. adj. 1 Math. (of a number) irrational. 2 Phonet. (of a sound) uttered with the breath and not the voice (e.g. f, k, p, s, t). n. 1 Math. a surd number, esp. the root of an integer. 2 Phonet. a surd sound. Etymology: L surdus deaf, mute …   Useful english dictionary

  • surd — /serrd/, adj. 1. Phonet. voiceless (opposed to sonant). 2. Math. (of a quantity) not capable of being expressed in rational numbers; irrational. n. 3. Phonet. a voiceless consonant (opposed to sonant). 4. Math. a surd quantity. [1545 55; < L… …   Universalium

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