audiologist

American  

[aw-dee-ol-uh-jist] / ˌɔ diˈɒl ə dʒɪst /

noun

1. a specialist in the treatment of hearing disorders, including evaluation of hearing function and rehabilitation of patients with hearing impairments.

   If your toddler keeps removing the hearing aid, tell your audiologist, as it may be overamplifying.

---

Etymology

Origin of audiologist

First recorded in 1940–45; audio- ( def. ) + -log(y) ( def. ) + -ist ( def. )

Explanation

If you’re unable to hear people speaking at normal volume, or hear ringing in your ears, you may want to see an audiologist: a specialist who treats hearing disorders and other problems, like balance issues, related to the ears. Using advanced diagnostic tools, audiologists evaluate peoples' auditory health. They test hearing ability to diagnose potential hearing loss. They fit and program corrective hearing aids, and they help manage tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Some audiologists specialize in the inner ear structures that control balance, running tests to figure out why someone might be feeling dizzy or unsteady. Audiologists are licensed professionals, most of whom have earned a Doctor of Audiology degree, but they are not medical doctors.

Example Sentences

She sees an audiologist, she has an MRI; as Arnold Schwarzenegger once said, it’s not a tumor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

After a hearing test came back normal, Sophie met a private audiologist for further testing.

From BBC • Feb. 15, 2025

“We recommend that people wear their hearing aids for all waking hours,” my audiologist had told me.

From Slate • Oct. 20, 2024

The audiologist noted that I had missed several.

From Salon • Sep. 30, 2024

The author is a writer and audiologist from Winnipeg, Canada.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2024