inner ear

American  

noun

• inner ears
  plural

1. internal ear.

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inner ear British  

noun

1. another name for internal ear labyrinth

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inner ear Scientific  

/ ĭn′ər /

1. The innermost part of the ear in many vertebrate animals, consisting of the cochlea, the semicircular canals, and the vestibule. Sound vibrations are transmitted from the cochlea of the inner ear to the brain by the auditory nerve. The semicircular canals and the vestibule are the body's organs of balance.

2. See more at ear

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inner ear Cultural  

1. The part of the ear, located deep within the skull, where sound vibrations are converted to electrical signals and sent to the brain via the auditory nerve to produce the sensation of hearing. Organs related to balance are also located in the inner ear.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• inner ears
  plural

Etymology

Origin of inner ear

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

inner ear

An audiologist would perform advanced testing related to the inner ear.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

Meniere’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear that can cause severe dizziness, ringing in the ears, hearing loss and ears feeling congested, according to the NIH.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026

Under general anesthesia, a surgeon makes a small opening in the cochlea and uses a thin tube to slowly infuse the liquid therapy directly into the inner ear for about 16 minutes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 2026

Isaac has sensorineural hearing loss - caused by damage to the hair cells inside the inner ear, or damage to the hearing nerve, or both.

From BBC ● Jan. 29, 2026

Outside the broken window, outside the latched shutters, Saint- Malo is so quiet that von Rumpel can hear the rustle of his own heartbeat shifting hairs in his inner ear.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr