Mute

(mūt.) [From L. mut us, dumb.] In Turkey and other Oriental countries, adumb officer of the seraglio, usually employed as an executioner.-(Min.) A name given to those minerals which emit no sound when struck.-(Gram.) A letter that is written but not articulated, as the vowel e at the end of many English words, in some of which, however, it changes the pronunciation of the preceding vowel, rendering it long; thus, mite. Thee mute was formerly added more generally to the end of words, particularly of nouns. M. also are consonants which emit no sound without a vowel; as b, p, t, d, k, with candghard. [s. 627]