Standard Lemma guide

tongueless

adj · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Having no tongue.

Having no tongue whether through its normal nature, because of birth defect, or because of amputation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • tongueless amphibians

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: tongued, aglossal

2

adj

Meaning 2

Having no tongue.

Having no tongue because hitched in another way.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • tongueless plow

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: tongued

3

adj

Meaning 3

Lacking speech; mute.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Making no sound; silent, speechless.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Expressed without speech; wordless, unspoken.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective

Meaning 6

lacking a tongue

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • tongueless moccasins

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: tongued

7

adjective satellite

Meaning 7

expressed without speech- Emily Dickinson- Thomas Wolfe

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a mute appeal
  • a silent curse
  • best grief is tongueless
  • the words stopped at her lips unsounded
  • unspoken grief
  • choking exasperation and wordless shame

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: mute, unspoken, wordless

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English tongeles, tunglees, equivalent to tongue + -less. Cognate with Old Norse tungulauss (“tongueless”).

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Ancient Greek: ἄγλωσσος (áglōssos) — having no tongue
  • Latin: ēlinguis — having no tongue
  • Persian: بیزبان — having no tongue