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
Noun (1)
I'm trying to get the boss's ear in order to ask for a raise in my pay
Recent Examples on the WebRenata Yazzie, SPIN, 15 May 2024
There have been many piano players in my family—my paternal grandmother, with a fourth-grade education, could play any song on the piano by ear, like many of my father’s relatives.
—Ayla Samli, Longreads, 14 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for ear 
Noun
Bekah Hillis, Diné, is a professional classical violinist whose ears gravitate to the melodies and rhythms of Korean pop.
—Renata Yazzie, SPIN, 15 May 2024
There have been many piano players in my family—my paternal grandmother, with a fourth-grade education, could play any song on the piano by ear, like many of my father’s relatives.
—Ayla Samli, Longreads, 14 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for ear
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.
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Dictionary Entries Near ear
Cite this Entry
“Ear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ear. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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