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Definition of "dactylology" [dac•tyl•ol•o•gy]

  • The use of the fingers and hands to communicate and convey ideas, as in the manual alphabet used by hearing-impaired and speech-impaired people. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "dactylology" in a sentence
  • "The most interesting thing I learned from this very exceptional woman (who is deaf since birth and has two hearing children), and spoke like you and I, was a special request she made, that cell phone manufacturers integrate “dactylology” or signwriting, the digital version of sign language which is widely available for computer keyboards."
  • "It happened that the doctor, who knew everything, was well acquainted with dactylology and the latest sign language, used in the instruction of deaf mutes, and as it seemed likely that our stay in our present abode might be"
  • "It would seem even less practicable than a sole reliance upon dactylology would be, for there can be no doubt as to what"
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