aphonia

[/əˈfoʊniə/]
nounfemininepl: aphonias
afonia
1. Loss of voice or the inability to produce vocal sound, typically due to disease, injury, or psychological causes affecting the larynx or vocal cords
After the surgery, the patient experienced temporary aphonia and could only communicate through writing.
Após a cirurgia, o paciente experimentou afonia temporária e só conseguia se comunicar por escrito.
2. In medicine, a condition characterized by complete absence of phonation despite intact respiratory function
The doctor diagnosed aphonia as a result of vocal cord paralysis.
O médico diagnosticou afonia como resultado da paralisia das cordas vocais.
Aphonia is primarily a medical/clinical term used by healthcare professionals in both the United States and Brazil. It's not commonly used in everyday conversation. In Brazil, patients more often describe the condition colloquially as 'perda da voz' (loss of voice) rather than using the technical term 'afonia'.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
hoarsenessvoicelessnessmutenessdysphonia
Antonyms / Antônimos
phonationvocalization

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
afonia
Standard medical term used throughout Brazil
Portugal
afonia
Same term used in European Portuguese medical contexts
Medical Community
perda da voz
Colloquial alternative meaning 'loss of voice'

Related Words

larynxvocal cordsdysphoniamutismphonationlaryngitis

Related Idioms & Phrases

struck dumb
lost one's voice
voiceless condition
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