hearing aid

American

noun

a compact electronic amplifier worn to improve one's hearing, usually placed in or behind the ear.

hearing aid British

noun

a device for assisting the hearing of partially deaf people, typically consisting of a small battery-powered electronic amplifier with microphone and earphone, worn by a deaf person in or behind the ear

"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

Etymology

Origin of hearing aid

First recorded in 1920–25

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.

Oliver grew up in a deaf family where BSL was his first language so he "didn't feel the need" to get a hearing aid or a cochlear implant.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2026

Barbabella described the president’s hearing as “normal” and said in a statement to the Journal that Trump doesn’t require a hearing aid.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 1, 2026

It might seem like a sign that you need a hearing aid, but new research suggests the issue may be linked to how your brain processes sound rather than your ears.

From Science Daily • Oct. 29, 2025

Despite our many requests, the Florida Department of Corrections has not gotten him a hearing aid that doesn’t beep loudly in his ears, so he prefers to stay in his own, soundless world.

From Salon • Aug. 17, 2025

He handed me what was left of my hearing aid headband.

From "Wonder" by R. J. Palacio

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023