What does "ear" mean?

1. (body part) the part of the head that you use for hearing. 2. (ability to hear or appreciate sound) the ability to hear well or to notice and enjoy specific sounds like music. 3. (attention) the act of listening to someone or giving them your attention. 4. (part of a grain plant) the top part of a cereal plant, like corn or wheat, that contains the seeds. 5. (handle or projection) a small handle or part that sticks out from an object, often used for holding it. 6. (informant) a person who listens secretly and gives information to the police. 7. (to hear) to listen to or take in information with your ears.

ear — meaning, definition & examples

Word

01body part

A1 · Beginner Countable noun

n. the part of the head that you use for hearing.

n. the organ of hearing in humans and vertebrates, specifically the external part or the entire internal mechanism.

“She whispered the secret directly into his ear so no one else could hear.”

“The doctor used an otoscope to examine the patient's inner ear for signs of infection or inflammation.”

Synonyms

auricle

02ability to hear or appreciate sound

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Music

n. the ability to hear well or to notice and enjoy specific sounds like music.

n. the faculty of hearing or the sensitive appreciation of musical tone and rhythm.

“He has a great ear for music and can play any song after hearing it once.”

“The conductor's exceptional ear allowed him to detect a single slightly flat note among the sixty-piece orchestra.”

Synonyms

hearing sensitivity

03attention

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. the act of listening to someone or giving them your attention.

n. favourable attention or the opportunity to be heard by someone in power.

“The diplomat finally gained the king's ear and explained the crisis.”

“Having the CEO's ear gave the young manager a distinct advantage when proposing radical changes to the company's structure.”

Synonyms

attention audience

04part of a grain plant

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun

n. the top part of a cereal plant, like corn or wheat, that contains the seeds.

n. the fruiting spike of a cereal plant, including the kernels and their protective coverings.

“We bought several ears of fresh corn from the farm stand for the barbecue.”

“The late summer heat caused the ears of wheat to ripen faster than the farmers had originally anticipated.”

Synonyms

spike cob

05handle or projection

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Technical

n. a small handle or part that sticks out from an object, often used for holding it.

n. a decorative or functional projection on an object, such as a lug or a handle on a cup.

“The old soup pot had a small metal ear on each side for lifting.”

“The architect specified that the acroterium should be positioned precisely above the ear of the classical pediment.”

Synonyms

handle lug projection

06informant

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Slang

n. a person who listens secretly and gives information to the police.

n. a person who acts as an informant or spy, particularly one who provides information to law enforcement.

“The gang suspected there was an ear in the room when the police arrived.”

“The detective relied on a network of ears in the underworld to track the movement of stolen goods across the border.”

Synonyms

informant snitch

07to hear

C2 · Proficiency Humorous

v. to listen to or take in information with your ears.

v. to perceive by the ear; used as a playful or non-standard transitive verb for hearing.

“Did you ear what the teacher just said about the homework?”

“He leaned in close, jokingly asking his friend to ear the latest gossip from the office.”

Synonyms

hear listen

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew- Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h₂ṓws Proto-Germanic *ausô Proto-West Germanic *auʀā Old English ēare Middle English ere English ear From Middle English ere, eare, from Old English ēare (“ear”), from Proto-West Germanic auʀā, from the voiced Verner alternant of Proto-Germanic ausô (“ear”) (compare Scots ere, er, eir, West Frisian ear, Dutch oor, German Ohr, Swedish öra, Danish øre), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ṓws (compare Old Irish áu, Latin auris, Lithuanian ausi̇̀s, Russian у́хо (úxo), Albanian vesh, Ancient Greek οὖς (oûs), and Old Armenian ունկն (unkn).

From Middle English eere, er, from Old English ēar (Northumbrian dialect æhher), from Proto-West Germanic ahaʀ, from Proto-Germanic ahaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- (“sharp”). See also West Frisian ier, Dutch aar, German Ähre; also Latin acus (“needle; husk”), Tocharian B āk (“ear, awn”), Old Church Slavonic ость (ostĭ, “wheat spike, sharp point”). More at edge.

From Middle English eren, from Old English erian, from Proto-West Germanic arjan, from Proto-Germanic arjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂erh₃- (“to plough”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

NOUN

ear(A1)

ADJECTIVE