inner ear

noun

|Updated on: 11 Jul 2018

Definition of inner ear

: 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

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See inner ear defined for kids

Recent Examples of inner ear from the Web

The idea behind them is unique: the Ear Duos wrap around the underside of your ear and have a big hole right in the middle of the part that fits into your inner ear.

— chris welch, The Verge, "Sony’s futuristic earbuds are a pain in the present," 29 June 2018
This acceleration pushes pilots back in their seats, which to the inner ear feels exactly the same as tilting upward.

— jeff wise, Popular Mechanics, "An Illusion Made FlyDubai Pilots Crash Their Plane Into the Ground," 25 Apr. 2016
Many characteristics such as wrist bones, the pelvis, hip bones, the inner ear and the top of the backbone are used by herpetologists to figure out details of a frog’s life and determine its relation to other frogs, the statement said.

— allyson chiu, ajc, "A surprise find: 99-million-year-old frog fossils encased in amber," 15 June 2018
Problems in the inner ear — where head position is perceived — are the most common cause of nystagmus, usually accompanied by vertigo.

— lisa sanders, m.d., New York Times, "Why Was Her Vision Jerky and Blurry if There Was Nothing Wrong With Her Eyes?," 1 May 2018
The bone that surrounds the inner ear turns out to be the best place in the body to search for ancient DNA.

— carl zimmer, New York Times, "David Reich Unearths Human History Etched in Bone," 20 Mar. 2018
When cats fall, a mechanism in their inner ear causes their head, neck, and backbone to rotate into a position that will help them land on their feet.

— National Geographic, "Would Your Cat Choose You Over Its Food?," 19 May 2018
The waves of atmospheric pressure are the same for everyone; but past that, every inner ear and every brain are doing something just a little bit different.

— adam rogers, WIRED, "The Fundamental Nihilism of Yanny vs. Laurel," 16 May 2018
The triple blast last April 11 shattered the team bus's windows, with a police officer also suffering inner ear damage.

— afp, chicagotribune.com, "Gladbach defender Ginter considered retirement after Dortmund bus attack," 18 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'inner ear.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of inner ear

1855

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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INNER EAR Defined for English Language Learners

inner ear

noun

Definition of inner ear for English Language Learners

biology : the part of the ear that is located within your head and that controls hearing and balance

INNER EAR Defined for Kids

inner ear

noun

Definition of inner ear for Students

: the inner part of the ear that is located in a bony cavity and plays a key role in hearing and keeping the body properly balanced

Medical Dictionary

inner ear

noun

medical Definition of inner ear

: 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