Definition

A person who is unable to speak or does not speak a specific language.

Example

The nonspeaker struggled to communicate with the group.

Conversation

I met someone who is a nonspeaker at the community center yesterday.

Really? That must have been interesting!

Yeah, they use sign language to communicate.

That’s cool! It’s great to see different ways people express themselves.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Nonspeaker → It is formed from "non-" (meaning not) and "speaker" (from Old English "specan", meaning to speak). The word "nonspeaker" refers to someone who does not speak.

Memory Tip

Think of 'not' ('non-') and 'speaking' ('speaker') — a nonspeaker is someone who does not speak.

Visually Confused Words