noun, Psychiatry. 1. an inability to speak, due to a physical defect, conscious refusal, or psychogenic inhibition. Origin of mutism.
1 A new study finds girls are developing breasts earlier than ever before; American boys and girls are entering puberty about five years younger than they did in 1920.
The increase was greatest among whites, though, on average, African-American girls, followed by Hispanic girls, develop earliest. At age 7, 10.4 percent of white, 23.4 percent of black and 14.9 percent of Hispanic girls had enough breast development to be considered at the onset of puberty. At age 8, the figures were 18.3 percent in whites, 42.9 percent in blacks and 30.9 percent in Hispanics.