ear
ear Lexical Profile
ear Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The organ of hearing and balance in humans and other vertebrates, especially the external, visible part projecting from the side of the head.
"She whispered the secret directly into her friend's ear so no one else in the library could hear."
An ability to recognize, appreciate, and reproduce sounds, particularly in music, poetry, or spoken language.
"Even without formal conservatory training, the young violinist possessed an extraordinary ear for pitch and harmony."
Willing and sympathetic attention or consideration given to someone's words or concerns.
"The committee always lends a sympathetic ear to residents proposing neighborhood improvements."
The seed-bearing head or spike of a cereal plant, such as corn, wheat, barley, or rye, containing the kernels or grains.
"We bought a dozen fresh ears of sweet corn from the roadside farm stand for dinner."
• verb
To form or put forth seed-bearing heads or spikes in the course of growth (of cereal plants such as wheat or corn).
"After weeks of steady rain and warm sunshine, the winter wheat finally began to ear across the valley."
Word Nuance & Usage
The anatomical sense of 'ear' (the organ of hearing) and the botanical sense (an ear of corn or wheat) are historically unrelated homonyms derived from two distinct Old English words that converged in modern spelling and pronunciation.
• Rhymes for ear
Word Origin & Etymology
The anatomical sense derives from Old English 'ēare', from Proto-Germanic '*auzō', sharing a Proto-Indo-European root with Latin 'auris'. The botanical sense referring to grain comes separately from Old English 'ēar', from Proto-Germanic '*ahuz' (meaning 'husk' or 'sharp point').