Where does “word-deafness” come from?

word-deafness (English) comes from English deafness, from English -ness, from Middle English -nesse, from Old English -nes, from Proto-West Germanic -nassī, from Proto-Germanic -inassuz, from Proto-West Germanic -ī, from Proto-Germanic -į̄ — Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups...

word-deafness (English): Auditory aphasia: a condition in which the...

Definitions

  1. Auditory aphasia: a condition in which the...

Ancestry of “word-deafness”, step by step

word-deafness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English deafness

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdeafnessThe condition of being deaf; the lack or loss of...
2English-nessAppended to adjectives to form nouns meaning "the...
3Middle English-nesseAffixed to adjectives to form abstract nouns...
4Old English-nesUsed to form abstract nouns, usually from...
5Proto-West Germanic-nassīUsed to form abstract nouns, usually from...
6Proto-Germanic-inassuz-ness
7Proto-West Germanic-ness, -th
8Proto-Germanic-į̄-th
9Proto-Indo-European-íh₂
10Proto-Indo-European-h₂Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups...

via English Word

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishWordScripture; The Bible; The creative word of God;...
2EnglishworthHaving a value of; proper to be exchanged for;...
3Middle Englishworthto become
4Old Englishweorþworth, deserving; honoured, esteemed; worth,...
5Proto-Germanicwerþazworthy, valuable
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwert-to turn, to rotate
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -h₂Every word from English -nessEvery word from Old English -nes