inner ear

noun

: the essential organ of hearing and equilibrium that is located in the temporal bone, is innervated by the auditory nerve, and includes the vestibule, the semicircular canals, and the cochlea

Examples of inner ear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Seven small muscles controlled its eyeballs—one more than humans possess—while its inner ears were comparatively gigantic. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 Aug. 2025

The blow fractured his temporomandibular joint, damaged his inner ear, and resulted in a two-year bout with almost constant pain and nausea. —Gillian Telling, People.com, 4 Aug. 2025

Besides this, there’s also the simple fact that there doesn’t appear to be much correlation between how motion sickness actually works (a disconnect between what your eyes see and what your inner ear feels), and applying an adhesive bandage to the belly button. —Larissa Runkle, Parents, 31 July 2025

Scientists have never seen the cells inside a living person’s inner ear. —Sushma Subramanian, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for inner ear

• auctioneer
• bandelier
• belvedere
• bombardier
• brigadier
• buccaneer
• cavalier
• chandelier
• chanticleer
• chevalier
• commandeer
• disappear

Kids Definition

inner ear

noun

: the part of the ear that is most important for hearing, is located in a cavity in the temporal bone, and contains the ends of the nerves which send nerve impulses concerned with hearing and balance to the brain

Medical Definition

inner ear

noun

: the essential part of the vertebrate organ of hearing and equilibrium that typically is located in the temporal bone, is innervated by the auditory nerve, and includes the vestibule, the semicircular canals, and the cochlea

called also internal ear