Skip to the word

Added 9 October 2026

purblind

/ˈpɜːblaɪnd/ adjective

In Latin: lippus Wiktionary

adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about purblind at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Of a person: having impaired vision; partially blind; dim-sighted.
Of the eyes: unable to see well, especially due to old age; weak.
Of a person: lacking in discernment or understanding; dim-witted, unintelligent.

noun

A person who has impaired vision or is partially blind.

verb

To cause (someone) to have impaired vision or become partially blind.

Origin

The adjective is derived from Middle English purblind (“(adjective) completely blind; blind in one eye; near-sighted; (noun) near-sighted animal, specifically a hare”) [and other forms], possibly from pur, pure (“completely, entirely”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pewH- (“to be clean; pure”); influenced by pur- (prefix meaning ‘completely; forward; in advance’)) + blind (“sightless, blind”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰlendʰ- (“to blend, mix up; to make cloudy or opaque”)). Adjective sense 4.1 (“completely blind”) was the original sense.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word