auditory
Americanadjective
-
Anatomy, Physiology. pertaining to hearing, to the sense of hearing, or to the organs of hearing.
-
perceived through or resulting from the sense of hearing.
auditory hallucinations.
noun
plural
auditories-
an assembly of hearers; audience.
-
an auditorium, especially the nave of a church.
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
- auditorially adverb
- auditorily adverb
- postauditory adjective
- preauditory adjective
Etymology
Origin of auditory
1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin audītōrius relating to hearing. See auditor, -tory 1
Explanation
If you describe something as auditory, it is related to the process of hearing. If someone says "Surrender Dorothy" and you hear "Where's the laundry," you have an auditory problem. The word auditory is based on the Latin word audire, meaning to hear. If you have an auditory processing disorder, you may have trouble discerning conversation in a noisy room, or hear a ringing sound at all times. Some teachers think there's something wrong with their students' auditory capacity, but actually they're just being ignored.
Vocabulary lists containing auditory
Common Senses: Aud ("Hear")
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aud
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UCPS 6th Grade Roots List #2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Brain implants will provide all the auditory and visual stimulation needed to simulate any form of live entertainment.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026
Sleep-deprived participants had slower reactions, or missed visual and auditory cues.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026
The two-year program would study premature infants responded to auditory stimulation.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 12, 2026
Participants completed two attention tests inside the scanner, one visual and one auditory.
From Science Daily • Jan. 20, 2026
The auditory cortex has areas that process pitch, while other areas of the brain combine biology and culture to stimulate the limbic system to respond emotionally to music.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
