earpiece

noun

ear·​piece ˈir-ˌpēs 

1

: the part of an instrument (such as a telephone, stethoscope, or hearing aid) that is placed against or inserted into the outer opening of the ear

especially : earphone

2

: one of the two sidepieces that support eyeglasses by passing over or behind the ears

Examples of earpiece in a Sentence

the earpiece of a stethoscope

Recent Examples on the Web

Many of Horizon’s main mechanics come into play, like Aloy’s earpiece, which augments her view of the world to reveal enemies’ weak points. —Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 13 June 2024

In the video, a police officer scans a question, and the AI software provides the correct answer through the earpiece. —Benj Edwards, Ars Technica, 12 June 2024

The phone’s earpiece and speakerphone get quite loud: 72.6dB and a deafening 98.8dB, respectively. —PCMAG, 21 May 2024

The layout is identical on both earpieces by default. —PCMAG, 21 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

earpiece

noun

ear·​piece -ˌpēs 

: a part of an instrument (as a telephone) that is placed against or in the ear

especially : earphone

Medical Definition

earpiece

noun

ear·​piece ˈi(ə)r-ˌpēs 

1

: a part of an instrument (as a stethoscope or hearing aid) that is inserted into the outer opening of the ear

2

: one of the two sidepieces that support eyeglasses by passing over or behind the ears