earpiece

noun

ear·​piece ˈir-ˌpēs 

1

: the part of an instrument (such as a telephone, stethoscope, or hearing aid) that is placed against or inserted into the outer opening of the ear

especially : earphone

2

: one of the two sidepieces that support eyeglasses by passing over or behind the ears

Examples of earpiece in a Sentence

the earpiece of a stethoscope

Recent Examples on the Web

Prince Harry wears a serious expression with an earpiece at the Kyiv Security Forum in Kyiv, Ukraine on April 23. —Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026

On-ear headphones are larger and sit on a solid band that goes over your head with padded earpieces that sit on top of your ears. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2026

Through their earpieces, umpires are for the first time getting in-game feedback on calls at their request. —Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026

Then, while the camera was rolling, directors fed him the exact numbers via earpiece. —Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

earpiece

noun

ear·​piece -ˌpēs 

: a part of an instrument (as a telephone) that is placed against or in the ear

especially : earphone

Medical Definition

earpiece

noun

ear·​piece ˈi(ə)r-ˌpēs 

1

: a part of an instrument (as a stethoscope or hearing aid) that is inserted into the outer opening of the ear

2

: one of the two sidepieces that support eyeglasses by passing over or behind the ears