Category:Surd

Surd, a. Etym: [l. surdus deaf (whence the meaning, deaf to reason, Irrational), perhaps akin to e. swart. Cf. Sordine.]

1. Net having the sense of hearing; deaf. [obs.] "a surd . . . Generation." Sir t. Browne.

2. Unheard. [obs.] Kenrick.

3. (math.)

Defn: involving surds; not capable of being expressed in rational Numbers; radical; irrational; as, a surd expression or quantity; a Surd number.

4. (phonetics)

Defn: uttered, as an element of speech, without tone, or proper vocal Sound; voiceless; unintonated; nonvocal; atonic; whispered; Aspirated; sharp; hard, as f, p, s, etc.; -- opposed to sonant. See Guide to pronunciation, §§169, 179, 180.

Surd Surd, n. (math.)

1. A quantity which can not be expressed by rational numbers; thus,
 * 2 is a surd.

2. (phon.)

Defn: a surd element of speech. See surd, a., 4.