Muffle Definition

mŭfəl
muffled, muffles, muffling
verb
muffled, muffles, muffling
To wrap up in a shawl, blanket, cloak, etc. so as to hide, keep warm, or protect.
Webster's New World
To wrap or cover in order to deaden or prevent sound.
Webster's New World
To deaden (a sound), as by wrapping.
Webster's New World
To make vague or obscure.
American Heritage
To prevent the expression of; stifle.
Webster's New World
Antonyms:
noun
muffles
Something that muffles.
American Heritage
An oven in which pottery, etc. can be fired without being exposed directly to the flame.
Webster's New World
The fleshy bare part of the upper lip and nose of certain mammals, as ruminants or rabbits.
Webster's New World

A kiln or furnace, often electric, with no direct flames (a muffle furnace)

Wiktionary
A warm piece of clothing for the hands.
Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Muffle

Noun

Singular:
muffle
Plural:
muffles

Origin of Muffle

  • Middle English muflen "to muffle", aphetic alteration of Anglo-Norman amoufler, from Old French enmoufler (“to wrap up, muffle"), from moufle (“mitten"), from Medieval Latin muffula (“a muff"), of Germanic origin ("”first recorded in the Capitulary of Aachen in 817 CE), from Frankish *muffël "a muff, wrap, envelope" from *muff- "sleeve, wrap" (from Proto-Germanic *mawwō (“sleeve")) + *vël "skin, hide" (from Proto-Germanic *fellÄ… (“skin, film, fleece"), from Proto-Indo-European *pel(e)(w)-, *plÄ“(w)- (“skin, hide")). Akin to Middle High German mouwe, mōwe (“sleeve") (German Muff "muff", Dutch mouw "sleeve"). Alternate etymology traces the Medieval Latin word to Frankish *molfell (“soft garment made of hide") from *mol (“softened, forworn") (akin to Old High German molawÄ“n "to soften", Middle High German molwic "soft") + *fell (“hide, skin"). Akin to Old High German fel (“fell, skin, hide"), Old English fell (“fell, skin, hide"). More at mulch, fell, camouflage.

    From Wiktionary

  • French mufle perhaps blend of moufle chubby face (from Old French muff2) museau muzzle (from Old French musel muzzle)

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Middle English muflen possibly from Old French mofler to stuff from mofle glove muff2

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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