muffled
UK: ˈmʌfld | US: ˈmʌfld
adj. (of sound) softened or made quieter, often by being obstructed
vt. past tense of "muffle" – to wrap or cover for warmth or to deaden sound
muffled = muff<wrap/cover> + le<verb suffix> + d<past participle suffix>
- muff<wrap/cover>: From Old French moufle (thick glove, mitten), likely of Germanic origin, related to warmth or covering.
- le<verb suffix>: A frequentative or verb-forming suffix in English.
- d<past participle suffix>: Marks the past tense or participle form.
Etymology Origin:
The word "muffle" originated from the idea of wrapping or covering (as with a muff, a warm hand-covering), later extending to sound dampening. The suffix -le turns it into a verb, and -d indicates the past action. Over time, "muffled" became associated with softened sounds, reflecting the original logic of obstruction.
The muffled voices from the next room were barely audible.
She muffled her cough with a scarf.
The snow muffled the footsteps of the hikers.
His words sounded muffled through the thick door.
The drummer used a cloth to muffle the snare.