ear
gb/ˈɪɹ/ us/ˈɪɹ/
A1
English
~ 1700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
Outer hearing organ
The part of your head you hear with, found on each side.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s ear
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'ear' with 'hear'. 'Ear' is the body part; 'hear' is the action of listening to sounds.
Synonyms
auricle (More technical term, used in anatomy.)
Antonyms
deafness (Refers to the absence of hearing ability, though not a physical opposite organ.)
Collocations
pierced ear
|left ear
|right ear
|ear canal
|ear infection
Themes
body
|health
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She tucked her hair behind her ear.
- He wore small headphones in each ear.
- The doctor looked inside my ear with a light.
- A loud noise made my ears ring.
- He whispered something in her ear.
Learner examples
- I have a small earring in my ear.
- My left ear hurts today.
- She put her hair over her ear.
- He spoke quietly into my ear.
Noun
B1
property
2
Skill in hearing music accurately
A skill to know and enjoy sounds or music well.
Usage pattern:
have an ear for [something]
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse this with physical ears; here it means a special ability, not the body part.
Synonyms
musicality (Refers more broadly to musical talent, not just listening ability.)
Antonyms
tone-deafness (Inability to perceive musical pitch accurately.)
Collocations
good ear
|ear for music
|trained ear
Themes
music
|skills
|arts_entertainment
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She has a good ear for languages.
- You need a trained ear to notice the difference.
- He developed an ear for jazz over the years.
Learner examples
- I have a good ear for music.
- She has an ear for new words.
- He has a trained ear for sounds.
Noun
B1
entity
3
Seed head of grain plant
The top part of a grain plant that has the seeds.
Usage pattern:
an ear of [grain/corn/wheat]
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'ear' here relates to hearing; in plants it refers to the seed head.
Synonyms
spike (Technical botanical term for certain flowering structures.)
Collocations
ear of corn
|full ear of wheat
Themes
agriculture
|plants
|nature
|food_drink
Examples
- He picked an ear of corn from the field.
- The ears of wheat were golden in the sun.
- Each ear contains many kernels.
Learner examples
- I ate an ear of corn.
- The farmer cut the ears of wheat.
- There are many seeds in an ear of grain.
Grammar
Dictionary form
ear
IPA
GB/ˈɪɹ/
US/ˈɪɹ/
Syllables & stress
ear (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (ear)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: ear
- Plural: ears
Word family
Expressions
have an ear for
1/hˈæv ən ˈɪɹ fɚ/
idiom
Be skilled at hearing details
To be good at hearing and understanding sounds, music, or language details.
Examples
- She really has an ear for accents.
- You can tell he has an ear for classical music.
in one ear and out the other
1/ˈɪn wˈʌn ˈɪɹ ˈænd ˈaʊt ðə ˈʌðɚ/
idiom
informal
Forget soon after hearing something
When someone hears something but forgets it right away.
Examples
- I told him my name, but it went in one ear and out the other.
- Everything I say seems to go in one ear and out the other.
lend an ear
1/lˈɛnd ən ˈɪɹ/
idiom
Listen with attention or sympathy
To listen carefully or kindly to someone who is talking about their problems or feelings.
Examples
- She was always ready to lend an ear when I needed to talk.
- Lend me your ear for a moment.
play it by ear
1/plˈeɪ ˈɪt bˈaɪ ˈɪɹ/
idiom
informal
Act without fixed plan
To decide what to do as things happen, not planning ahead.
Examples
- We don't know what time we'll leave; let's just play it by ear.
- I'm not sure how the meeting will go, so I'll play it by ear.
fall on deaf ears
1/fˈɔl ˈɔn dˈɛf ˈɪɹz/
idiom
be completely ignored
To be ignored by people, even though they hear it.
Examples
- Their warnings about the virus fell on deaf ears.
- Her complaints have fallen on deaf ears at head office.
fall on deaf ears
2/fˈɔl ˈɔn dˈɛf ˈɪɹz/
idiom
Be ignored after being heard
When advice or requests are ignored even though people hear them.
Examples
- Her warnings fell on deaf ears.
- His request for help fell on deaf ears.