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auricular

[aw-rik-yuh-ler]
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adjective
  1. of or relating to the ear or to the sense of hearing; aural.
  2. perceived by or addressed to the ear; made in private: an auricular confession.
  3. dependent on hearing; understood or known by hearing: auricular evidence.
  4. shaped like an ear; auriculate.
  5. Anatomy. pertaining to an auricle of the heart.
  6. Ornithology. pertaining to certain often modified feathers that cover and protect the opening of a bird's ear.
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noun
  1. Usually auriculars. Ornithology. feathers that cover and protect the opening of a bird's ear.
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Origin of auricular

First recorded in 1535–45, auricular is from the Late Latin word auriculāris of, pertaining to the ear. See auricle, -ar1
Related formsau·ric·u·lar·ly, adverbin·ter·au·ric·u·lar, adjectivenon·au·ric·u·lar, adjectivepost·au·ric·u·lar, adjectivepre·au·ric·u·lar, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for auricular

Historical Examples

  • It appears that many are opposed to celibacy of the clergy and auricular confession.

    The Philippine Islands

    John Foreman

  • Auricular confession is nothing else than a most stupendous imposture.

  • Is this not sufficient to warn you of the danger of auricular confession?

  • But let us come to my first lesson in Auricular Confession, No!

  • The latter are all cordate, while in the normal the upper leaves are auricular.

    The Sea Shore

    William S. Furneaux

British Dictionary definitions for auricular

auricular

adjective
  1. of, relating to, or received by the sense or organs of hearing; aural
  2. shaped like an ear
  3. of or relating to an auricle of the heart
  4. (of feathers) occurring in tufts surrounding the ears of owls and similar birds
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noun
  1. (usually plural) an auricular feather
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Derived Formsauricularly, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for auricular

adj.

1540s, "auditory" (originally of confessions), from Medieval Latin auricularis, from Latin auricula (see auricle). Meaning "pertaining to the ear" is from 1640s.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
auricular in Medicine

auricular

(ô-rĭk′yə-lər)
adj.
  1. Of or relating to the sense of hearing or the organs of hearing.
  2. Perceived by or spoken into the ear, as when testing hearing.
  3. Shaped like an ear or an earlobe; having earlike parts or extensions.
  4. Of or relating to an auricle of the heart.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.