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Glite Dictionary
organ of hearing

organ of hearing

4.6
The part of the ear that gets sounds and sends them to the brain
  • noun
translation icon : órgano de la audición
  • Scientists are studying how the organ of hearing transmits sound waves to the brain.

Examples

  • Damage to the organ of hearing can result in permanent hearing loss.

  • Some animals have a highly developed organ of hearing that allows them to detect even the faintest sounds.

  • The organ of hearing is vital for communication.

  • Do you know where the organ of hearing is located?

  • The organ of hearing allows us to enjoy music and recognize voices.

  • When the organ of hearing is damaged, it can lead to hearing loss.

  • Doctors often examine the organ of hearing during a routine check-up.

Synonyms

ear
vsorgan of hearing
∞ 1.0

The part on the side of the head used for hearing

is the internal part that detects and processes sound not only the outer part
auditory system
vsorgan of hearing
  • Specialized
1 3.9

Body parts like the ear and nerves that let you hear

is the anatomical part focused on detecting and processing sound not including neural pathways
auditory apparatus
vsorgan of hearing
  • Specialized
6.5

The parts of the ear that receive sound and send it to the brain

is the functional part focused on detecting and processing sound rather than the whole set

Surface Forms

organ of hearing singular
organs of hearing plural

Morphology

organ + of + hearing

The meaning is directly compositional: 'organ' (a bodily part performing a function) modified by 'of hearing' specifies that the organ performs the function of hearing, so a learner who knows the constituents can infer it refers to the body part responsible for detecting sound. This simple 'N of N' descriptive pattern is cross-linguistically common and appears in many English phrases (e.g., 'organ of sight'), making it readily understandable to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Organ of hearing comes from the simple image of an organ as a body part with a job and hearing as that job, so the phrase pictures a part that listens to sound. That's why it means 'the ear' or the parts that 'detect sound'.