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amusia

American  
[ey-myoo-zee-uh] / eɪˈmyu zi ə /

noun

Medicine/Medical.
  1. the inability to produce or comprehend music or musical sounds.


amusia British  
/ eɪˈmjuːzɪə /

noun

  1. the inability to distinguish differences in musical pitch; tone deafness

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • amusic adjective

Etymology

Origin of amusia

< New Latin < Greek amousía state of being without the Muses, especially song. See a- 6, Muse, -ia

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It is unclear how many people suffer from amusia, in part because so often people who hear them simply assume they are bad singers.

From Salon • Dec. 24, 2022

If nothing else, Grant's life offers a glimpse at how someone with congenital amusia can try to make the best of their situation.

From Salon • Dec. 24, 2022

People, including individuals with amusia, develop implicit knowledge of music rules, and are often unaware that they hold this knowledge.

From Science Magazine • Aug. 11, 2022

Doctors at Swedish, Deuel said, treated her with antiviral medication to halt the spread of the infection — and the instrument helped relieve her amusia.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 23, 2017

The opposite is true of the less than 1% of the population who suffer from amusia, or true tone deafness.

From Time Magazine Archive