ASL sign for: deaf

Meaning: Partially or wholly lacking or deprived of the sense of hearing; unable to hear.

Regional/phonological variation.

Old ASL sign (found in older generations prior to about mid-20th century): obsolete.

Meaning: absolutely deaf; not hearing at all. [Video courtesy of Jonathan Pokorny (coda), 2018.]

Used by Deaf signers and sometimes codas only.

Cultural Awareness

Note that the inappropriate term HEARING-IMPAIRED is unacceptable. Use "deaf" instead.

Related signs: sign language, ASL (American Sign Language, Deaf culture, Deaf community, Deaf world, Deaf Gain, DEAFHOOD, deafness, deafened.

First 100 words.

  1. again
  2. also
  3. ask
  4. ASL - American Sign Language
  5. because
  6. boy
  7. but
  8. can
  9. come
  10. deaf
  11. different
  12. done
  13. drink
  14. drive
  15. eat
  16. email address
  17. excuse me
  18. family
  19. father
  20. few
  21. fine
  22. fingerspell
  23. food
  24. for
  25. friend
  26. get
  27. girl
  28. give
  29. go
  30. good
  31. have
  32. he
  33. hearing
  34. hello
  35. help
  36. home
  37. how
  38. if
  39. Internet
  40. know
  41. like (feeling)
  42. little
  43. live
  44. man
  45. many
  46. me
  47. meet
  48. more
  49. my
  50. name
  51. need
  52. new
  53. no
  54. not
  55. ok
  56. old
  57. other
  58. people
  59. play
  60. please
  61. remember
  62. same
  63. say
  64. school
  65. see
  66. she
  67. should
  68. signing
  69. slow
  70. some
  71. sorry
  72. take
  73. tell
  74. texting
  75. thank you
  76. that
  77. their
  78. they
  79. think
  80. time
  81. tired
  82. understand
  83. use
  84. wait
  85. want
  86. water
  87. what
  88. when
  89. where
  90. which
  91. who
  92. why
  93. will
  94. with
  95. woman
  96. work
  97. write
  98. yes
  99. you
  100. your

As you feel more comfortable with the first few hundreds of ASL signs, progress further with your vocabulary and learn signing more.