auditory

1 of 2

noun

au·​di·​to·​ry ˈȯ-də-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce auditory (audio)
1
archaic : audience
2
archaic : auditorium

auditory

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, or experienced through hearing
auditory stimuli
auditorily adverb

Did you know?

Auditory is close in meaning to acoustic and acoustical, but auditory usually refers more to hearing than to sound. For instance, many dogs have great auditory (not acoustic) powers, and the auditory nerve lets us hear by connecting the inner ear to the brain. Acoustic and acoustical instead refer especially to instruments and the conditions under which sound can be heard; so architects concern themselves with the acoustic properties of an auditorium, and instrument makers with those of a clarinet or piano.

Examples of auditory in a Sentence

Adjective The patient has damage to the auditory nerve. I have a bad auditory memory—unless I see a word in writing, and not just hear it, I forget it easily.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
While scholars have lauded the visual qualities of the basilica style, few have explored the auditory. Lynn Whidden, Scientific American, 26 July 2024 Visual albums, installation art, video games, and TikToks routinely blend the auditory, the visual, the narrative, and the poetic—sometimes spectacularly, quite often unsatisfyingly. Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 16 Feb. 2024
Adjective
This electric charge may help lidocaine penetrate the eardrum and reduce an overactive auditory system. Carley Millhone, Health, 20 Oct. 2024 The Nuance audio collection — a yet-to-come-to-market but highly anticipated assortment of frames that integrate open-ear hearing technology into a pair of eyeglasses that improve vision, offering users an immersive and clear auditory experience — is gearing up for FDA approval. Thomas Waller, WWD, 10 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for auditory 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'auditory.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English auditorie, borrowed from Latin audītōrium "hall, body of listeners" — more at auditorium

Adjective

borrowed from Late Latin audītōrius, from audīre "to hear" + -tōrius, deverbal adjective suffix originally forming derivatives from agent nouns ending in -tōr-, -tor — more at audible entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1578, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of auditory was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near auditory

Cite this Entry

“Auditory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/auditory. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

auditory

adjective
au·​di·​to·​ry
ˈȯd-ə-ˌtōr-ē,
-ˌtȯr-
: of or relating to hearing or to the sense or organs of hearing

Medical Definition

auditory

1 of 2 adjective
au·​di·​to·​ry ˈȯd-ə-ˌtōr-ē, -ˌtȯr- How to pronounce auditory (audio)
1
: of or relating to hearing
2
: attained, experienced, or produced through or as if through hearing
auditory images
auditory hallucinations
3
: marked by great susceptibility to impressions and reactions produced by acoustic stimuli
an auditory individual

auditory

2 of 2 noun
plural auditories

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