Sordo

Sordo is a term used in Spanish and Italian with meanings related to hearing. As an adjective, it denotes a person who cannot hear well or at all, or it describes sounds that are muffled or lacking sharpness, for example a sordo golpe or a sonido sordo. As a noun in Spanish, el sordo or una persona sorda can refer to a deaf person; modern usage often favors phrasing such as persona con discapacidad auditiva to emphasize the person first.

Origin and cognates: The word derives from Latin surdus, meaning deaf. Related forms appear in other Romance languages, including Italian sordo and Portuguese surdo, all sharing the same root.

Surname: Sordo is a surname of Spanish and Italian origin, found in various countries in Europe and the Americas.

Usage and context: In everyday language, sordo can describe both literal deafness and a muffled or muted quality of sound. In contemporary discussion, referring to a person as “sordo” is increasingly avoided in favor of more person-centered expressions that emphasize disability as a characteristic rather than a defining label.

See also: Deafness; disability terminology.

Note: The term should be used respectfully, with attention to person-first language and current conventions for describing sensory impairment.