ear
/ɪə(r)/
noun
Origin
Proto-Germanic
*auzon — ear
Overview
Meaning Now
- The organ of hearing and equilibrium in vertebrates.
- The faculty of sensing and distinguishing sounds; the ability to appreciate musical tone or pitch.
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Proto-Germanic → Old English → English
Earliest form
ēare
Earliest period
Old English period
Journey
The word traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root *ous-, which is also the source of the Latin 'auris'. The Germanic branch underwent specific phonetic shifts resulting in the 'ear' form found in English and Dutch, distinct from the Romance-based 'aural'.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*ous-
“ear”
- Proto-Germanic
*auzon
“ear”
- Old English
ēare
“ear”
- Middle English
ere
“ear”
Connections
Word parts
ear
root
organ of hearing
Related across languages
German
Ohr
ear
Dutch
oor
ear
Latin
auris
ear
Explore next
Related to ear
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.