noun
- the part of the body specialized for the perception of sound; organ of hearing: the human ear consists of the external ear, the middle ear (tympanum), and the inner ear (labyrinth), which also senses one's state of equilibrium
- the visible, external part of the ear
- the sense of hearing
- the ability to recognize slight differences in sound, esp. in the pitch, rhythm, etc. of musical tones
- anything shaped or placed like an ear, as the handle of a pitcher or a small box in the upper corner of a newspaper page
Origin:
ME ere < OE ēare akin to Goth ausō, Ger ohr < IE base *ous-, ear > L auris, Gr ous, OIr au