tinnitus

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noun tin·ni·tus \ ˈti-nə-təs , tə-ˈnī-təs \

Definition of tinnitus

:a sensation of noise (such as a ringing or roaring) that is typically caused by a bodily condition (such as a disturbance of the auditory nerve or wax in the ear) and usually is of the subjective form which can only be heard by the one affected

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Recent Examples of tinnitus from the Web

Researchers also tried rTMS in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, tinnitus, and chronic pain.

— meredith wadman, Science | AAAS, "Brain-altering magnetic pulses could zap cocaine addiction," 29 Aug. 2017
Right from the opening shots, Baby is doggedly trying to block out the nasty mayhem around him (in addition to his tinnitus).

— david sims, The Atlantic, "Baby Driver Is a Rare Heist Movie with a Heart," 4 July 2017
The accident left him with a severe case of tinnitus.

— michael heaton, cleveland.com, "'Baby Driver' runs out of gas (review)," 28 June 2017
In her early 20s, Phillips began noticing a progressive hearing loss and tinnitus in her right ear.

— pam kragen, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Volunteer is focused on charity after life-changing hearing loss," 22 June 2017
Every scene impeccably syncs up with the songs playing in the earbuds of Baby, who likes to have a constant stream of sound going to mask his chronic tinnitus (a condition Wright suffered from as a kid).

— sam dean, Newsweek, "Filmmaker Edgar Wright on His New Musical-Car-Chase Mashup 'Baby Driver'—the Coolest Getaway of the Season," 21 June 2017
Unlike beams of tinnitus, these keening, distortionlike sounds were a sign of healthy ears.

— seth colter walls, New York Times, "Reviving the Ghostly Sounds of Maryanne Amacher," 19 May 2017
My ears ring all the time—a condition called tinnitus.

— david owen, The New Yorker, "High-Tech Hope for the Hard of Hearing," 23 Mar. 2017
The character of Baby has tinnitus, thanks to a childhood accident, and Elgort spends 90 percent of the movie with a pair of earbuds nestled in his ears, providing the soundtrack for the film and the guiding tempo for all of his daring car stunts.

— vanityfair.com, VanityFair.com, "Baby Driver Will Be Music to Edgar Wright Fans’ Ears," 12 Mar. 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of tinnitus

Latin, ringing, tinnitus, from tinnire to ring, of imitative origin

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First Known Use: 1843

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TINNITUS Defined for English Language Learners

tinnitus

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noun

Definition of tinnitus for English Language Learners

medical : a condition that causes you to hear ringing or roaring sounds that only you can hear

Medical Dictionary

tinnitus

play

noun tin·ni·tus \ ˈtin-ət-əs , ti-ˈnīt-əs \

medical Definition of tinnitus

:a sensation of noise (as a ringing or roaring) that is caused by a bodily condition (as a disturbance of the auditory nerve or wax in the ear) and typically is of the subjective form which can only be heard by the one affected

Learn More about tinnitus

See words that rhyme with tinnitus Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tinnitus

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tinnitus

Definition of tinnitus

Recent Examples of tinnitus from the Web

Origin and Etymology of tinnitus

Other Medicine Terms

TINNITUS Defined for English Language Learners

tinnitus

Definition of tinnitus for English Language Learners

Medical Dictionary

tinnitus

medical Definition of tinnitus

Learn More about tinnitus

Seen and Heard

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