Ear: meaning, definitions and examples

Commonly used in everyday language to refer to the body part responsible for hearing. Suitable for both casual and formal conversations.

• She whispered something in his ear.
• He pierced his ear yesterday.

More technical and formal, typically used in medical, scientific, or educational contexts.

• The auditory organ is responsible for detecting sound waves.
• Damage to the auditory organ can result in hearing loss.

Less common, but can be used in a technical context similar to 'auditory organ'. It emphasizes the function of the ear in the process of hearing.

• The hearing organ consists of the outer, middle, and inner ear.
• Proper care of the hearing organ is essential for maintaining good hearing health.

Commonly used in everyday language to refer to the physical organ that detects sounds.

• She whispered in his ear.
• My ear hurts.

Usually used in a general or descriptive context to refer to the ability to hear sounds.

• Her sense of hearing is remarkably sharp.
• Losing one's sense of hearing can be very challenging.

Used in formal or scientific contexts to describe the process of hearing and processing sounds.

• Auditory perception is critical for understanding speech.
• Researchers are studying how auditory perception works in noisy environments.

This word is commonly used in everyday language to refer to the physical organ responsible for hearing or to describe someone's ability to hear or recognize sound.

• She put her hand to her ear to hear better
• He has a good ear for languages

This phrase is more technical and is often used in scientific or medical contexts to describe the ability to detect sound or changes in sound.

• The study focused on the acoustic sensitivity of marine mammals
• Acoustic sensitivity can decline with age

Referencing the physical organ responsible for hearing sounds.

• She whispered something in his ear.
• My ear started hurting after the flight.

Focusing attention on sounds or speech, often implying active engagement.

• She likes to listen to classical music while studying.
• If you want to succeed, you need to listen carefully to the instructions.

Being alert and focused on someone or something, which may or may not involve listening.

• Please pay attention to the road when driving.
• The teacher asked the students to pay attention during the lecture.