Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

See What's Trending Now See More Trending Words

sign language

noun

Definition of sign language

1 :a formal language employing a system of hand gestures for communication (as by the deaf)
2 :an unsystematic method of communicating chiefly by manual gestures used by people speaking different languages

See sign language defined for English-language learners

See sign language defined for kids

Explore Merriam-Webster

alt-59c448f88ea38
Trending: Kim Jong Un: Trump a 'Dotard'
alt-59c52d6ee2f72
Breathing Life Into 'Inspire'
image1644821030
These Are Fighting Words
young-plant-shoots
Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

First Known Use of sign language

1824

SIGN LANGUAGE Defined for English Language Learners

sign language

noun

Definition of sign language for English Language Learners

  • : a system of hand movements used for communication especially by people who are deaf

SIGN LANGUAGE Defined for Kids

sign language

noun

Definition of sign language for Students

:a system of hand movements used for communication (as by people who are deaf)

Medical Dictionary

sign language

noun

medical Definition of sign language

:a formal language employing a system of hand gestures for communication (as by the deaf) — compare finger spelling

Learn More about sign language

  1. See words that rhyme with sign language Spanish Central: Translation of sign language Nglish: Translation of sign language for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sign language

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up sign language? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

yeasty

play

of yeast or being unsettled or frivolous

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. dotage, dotard a state or period of senile decay

  2. otherwise "in other respects"

  3. federalism Graham says bill gives power to states

  4. bodega "Don’t mess with the beloved bodega."

  5. carceral Of, relating to, or suggesting a jail or prison

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

sign language

Test Your Vocabulary

Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

  • young-plant-shoots
  • Which of the following is a new sense of the word bunny?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Word Winder's CrossWinder

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

alt-59c52d6ee2f72
Breathing Life Into 'Inspire'

The word's origins are quite literal

alt-59c4207ecf106
Let's Talk 'Tea'

Spill it, sip it: just make it hot.

image1644821030
8 Words and Phrases from Boxing and Wrestling

Common terms that come from boxing and wrestling

alt-59c2960017c94
The Ambiguity of Pushing 'Up' and 'Back'

When you push a meeting, where does it go?

Ask the Editors

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

payday
How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Don't get us started on 'bimonthly'

video-irregardless-grammar-peeve-blend-of-the-synonyms-irrespective-and-regardless
Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

video-moose-goose-weird-plurals
Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

young-plant-shoots
Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

You're going to have to memorize the dictionary again.

Take the quiz
stylized-drawing-of-woman-pole-vaulting-across-gap-to-get-trophy
Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

No tricks, just difficult words.

Take the quiz
Spell It
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

Take the quiz
Word Winder's CrossWinder
Word Winder's CrossWinder

A game of winding words.

Play the game