Illustration of ear
- 1 pinna
- 2 lobe
- 3 auditory meatus
- 4 tympanic membrane
- 5 eustachian tube
- 6 cochlea
- 7 auditory nerve
- 8 stapes
- 9 semicircular canals
- 10 incus
- 11 malleus
- 12 bones of skull
1
a
: the characteristic vertebrate organ of hearing and equilibrium consisting in the typical mammal of a sound-collecting outer ear separated by the tympanic membrane from a sound-transmitting middle ear that in turn is separated from a sensory inner ear by membranous fenestrae
b
: any of various organs (as of a fish) capable of detecting vibratory motion
2
: the external ear of humans and most mammals
3
a
: the sense or act of hearing
b
: acuity of hearing
c
: sensitivity to musical tone and pitch
also
: the ability to retain and reproduce music that has been heard
d
: sensitivity to nuances of language especially as revealed in the command of verbal melody and rhythm or in the ability to render a spoken idiom accurately
4
: something resembling a mammalian ear in shape, position, or function: such as
a
: a projecting part (such as a lug or handle)
b
: either of a pair of tufts of lengthened feathers on the head of some birds
6
: a space in the upper corner of the front page of a periodical (such as a newspaper) usually containing advertising for the periodical itself or a weather forecast
7
: a person who listens : listener
looking for a friendly ear
: the fruiting spike of a cereal (such as wheat or corn) including both the seeds and protective structures
eared; earing; ears
: to form ears in growing
the rye should be earing up
Phrases
all ears
: eagerly listening
if anybody spoke of that grisly matter, I was all ears … and alert to hear what might be said—
Mark Twain
Mark Twain
: without reference to or memorization of written music
plays by ear
: through one's mind without making an impression
everything you say to him goes in one ear and out the other
: in or into a state of irritation, shock, or discord
set the racing world on its ear by breaking the record
: deeply involved : heavily implicated
up to his ears in shady deals
Synonyms
Examples of ear in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebLouis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2023
The trades of Amed Rosario, Aaron Civale and Josh Bell right before the deadline knocked it on its ear, but did not break it.
—Paul Hoynes, cleveland, 16 Sep. 2023
This may include ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and dizziness.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 15 Sep. 2023
Past research has shown, for example, that even people in a deep coma can unconsciously learn the names of fruits or cities if those words are whispered in their ear.
—Rachel Nuwer, Scientific American, 14 Sep. 2023
If there is a person depicted in the art, look at the hands, ears, eyes and general proportions to see if anything is unusual.
—Heather Kelly, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2023
A feeling of fullness in the ear There's no cure for MD.
—Isadora Baum, Health, 11 Sep. 2023
The bread treats, filled with a delicate chocolate custard, have pointy ears and cookie bits for the eyes and stomach.
—Peggy Hernandez, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Sep. 2023
Head lice are commonly found on the hairline, on the neck, and behind the ears, and they can be seen using a magnifying glass and lice comb.
—Parents Editors, Parents, 3 Sep. 2023
Christopher Kuhagen, Journal Sentinel, 10 Sep. 2023
Ohtani raised his arms in delight from the mound and Renfroe could only grin ear to ear after robbing Oakland's Jace Peterson with a defensive gem to start the bottom of the fifth.
—Janie McCauley, ajc, 31 Mar. 2023
Alexandra Furman was beaming ear to ear as the women danced around her.
—Claire Law, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Feb. 2023
One soldier was rushed in with his throat sliced open from ear to ear.
—Michael Schwirtz Lynsey Addario, New York Times, 6 Feb. 2023
But audience appeal is ultimately in the eye (and ear) of the beholder.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2023
The window of his cell was as wide as his face—ear to ear—giving him a view of the hills.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 10 Apr. 2023
Playing his first game with the Angels, Renfroe could only grin ear to ear after robbing Peterson with a defensive gem to start the bottom of the fifth inning in Los Angeles' 2-1 loss to the Oakland Athletics on Thursday night.
—Janie McCauley, ajc, 31 Mar. 2023
The doll had a massive curly bun with a braid extending from ear to ear.
—Gabi Thorne, Allure, 17 Mar. 2023
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Noun
In battles over females, males bite each other on the ears, necks, and legs, then whirl their adversaries in a circle.
—Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2023
The trades of Amed Rosario, Aaron Civale and Josh Bell right before the deadline knocked it on its ear, but did not break it.
—Paul Hoynes, cleveland, 16 Sep. 2023
This may include ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and dizziness.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 15 Sep. 2023
Past research has shown, for example, that even people in a deep coma can unconsciously learn the names of fruits or cities if those words are whispered in their ear.
—Rachel Nuwer, Scientific American, 14 Sep. 2023
If there is a person depicted in the art, look at the hands, ears, eyes and general proportions to see if anything is unusual.
—Heather Kelly, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2023
A feeling of fullness in the ear There's no cure for MD.
—Isadora Baum, Health, 11 Sep. 2023
The bread treats, filled with a delicate chocolate custard, have pointy ears and cookie bits for the eyes and stomach.
—Peggy Hernandez, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Sep. 2023
Head lice are commonly found on the hairline, on the neck, and behind the ears, and they can be seen using a magnifying glass and lice comb.
—Parents Editors, Parents, 3 Sep. 2023
Verb
Jeter, who retired after the 2014 season after a Hall of Fame career, and other legendary players were out on the field pre-game when Adames ran out onto the field beaming from ear to ear.
—Christopher Kuhagen, Journal Sentinel, 10 Sep. 2023
Ohtani raised his arms in delight from the mound and Renfroe could only grin ear to ear after robbing Oakland's Jace Peterson with a defensive gem to start the bottom of the fifth.
—Janie McCauley, ajc, 31 Mar. 2023
Alexandra Furman was beaming ear to ear as the women danced around her.
—Claire Law, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Feb. 2023
One soldier was rushed in with his throat sliced open from ear to ear.
—Michael Schwirtz Lynsey Addario, New York Times, 6 Feb. 2023
But audience appeal is ultimately in the eye (and ear) of the beholder.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2023
The window of his cell was as wide as his face—ear to ear—giving him a view of the hills.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 10 Apr. 2023
Playing his first game with the Angels, Renfroe could only grin ear to ear after robbing Peterson with a defensive gem to start the bottom of the fifth inning in Los Angeles' 2-1 loss to the Oakland Athletics on Thursday night.
—Janie McCauley, ajc, 31 Mar. 2023
The doll had a massive curly bun with a braid extending from ear to ear.
—Gabi Thorne, Allure, 17 Mar. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ear.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English ere, from Old English ēare; akin to Old High German ōra ear, Latin auris, Greek ous
Noun (2)
Middle English er, ere, going back to Old English ēar (Northumbrian æhher), going back to Germanic *ahaz (whence also Old Frisian ār "ear of grain," Middle Dutch aer, aere, Old Saxon ehir, Old High German ah, ahar, ehir, Old Norse ax, Gothic ahs), going back to Indo-European *h2eḱ-es-, s-stem derivative from the base *h2eḱ- "sharp, pointed" (in reference to a spike of grain perhaps originally referring to the awns, then generalized to the entire spike), whence also Latin acer-, acus "husks of grain or legumes, chaff," Tocharian B āke "end," Tocharian A āk — more at edge entry 1
Note: The diverse outcomes in Germanic assume generalization throughout the paradigm of the original stem variants: most forms from oblique stems *ahuz-, ahiz-, but Old High German ah, from nominative *ahaz and Old Norse ax, Gothic ahs, from a syncopated stem *ah-sa-.
Verb
Middle English eren, derivative of ere ear entry 2
First Known Use
Noun (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Noun (2)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of ear was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing ear
Articles Related to ear
Dictionary Entries Near ear
Cite this Entry
“Ear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ear. Accessed 25 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
ear
1 of 2 noun1
a
: the organ of hearing and balance of vertebrates that in the typical mammal consists of a sound-collecting outer ear separated by an eardrum from a sound-carrying middle ear that in turn is separated from an inner ear containing neurons that receive sound and send nerve impulses to the brain
b
2
a
: the sense or act of hearing
b
: an ability to understand and appreciate something heard
an ear for languages
3
: willing or sympathetic attention
lend an ear
4
: something resembling an ear in shape or position
eared
adjective
ˈi(ə)rd
earless
adjective
ˈi(ə)r-ləs
ear
2 of 2 noun
: the seed-bearing head of a cereal (as corn) including both the seeds and protective structures
ear
verb
Etymology
Noun
Old English ēare "organ of hearing"
Noun
Old English ēar "seed part of a plant"
Medical Definition
ear
noun1
: the characteristic vertebrate organ of hearing and equilibrium consisting in the typical mammal of a sound-collecting outer ear separated by the tympanic membrane from a sound-transmitting middle ear that in turn is separated from a sensory inner ear by membranous fenestrae
2
a
: the external ear of humans and most mammals
b
: a human earlobe
had her ears pierced
3
a
: the sense or act of hearing
b
: acuity of hearing
More from Merriam-Webster on ear
Nglish: Translation of ear for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of ear for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ear
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