ˈspēchlə̇s adjective
Etymology: Middle English specheles, from Old English spǣclēas, from spǣc speech + -lēas -less — more at speech
1.
a. : unendowed with or deprived of the power of speech
speechless animals
b. : marked by lack of speech
speechless slumber
speechless death
2.
a. : temporarily deprived of the ability to speak (as through injury, shock, or strong emotion) : struck dumb
speechless with exhaustion
speechless with grief
b. : refraining from speech : silent , reticent
a shy and speechless person
c. : so as to deprive of speech : causing speechlessness
the speechless fright of the captain — Herman Melville
3.
a. obsolete : expressed or communicated without speech
sometimes from her eyes I did receive fair speechless messages — Shakespeare
b. : done or experienced without speech : unattended by speech
swaying back and forth in speechless content — Hamlin Garland
c. : not capable of being expressed in speech : beyond the power of speech
a shape of speechless beauty did appear — P.B.Shelley
Synonyms: see dumb