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
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")
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
aud
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
UCPS 6th Grade Roots List #2
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The computational model of a neural network mimicked the owl’s auditory map—the flow of auditory information—which helped Rumelhart derive a theory about how the owl’s system developed and worked.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026
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
Many autistic people require additional time to process auditory input and verbal responses, particularly in unfamiliar circumstances.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026
"This reversal of the normal suppression effect suggests that the brain's prediction mechanism may be disrupted in people currently experiencing auditory hallucinations, which may cause their own inner voice to be misinterpreted as external speech."
From Science Daily • Jan. 23, 2026
The auditory cortex is the brain’s primary region for hearing and processing sound, and is part of the brain’s cerebral cortex.
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.
