tinnitus
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of tinnitus
First recorded in 1685–95; from Latin tinnītus “a tinkling,” noun use of past participle of tinnīre “to tinkle,” of imitative origin
Explanation
Tinnitus is a ringing, buzzing, or booming in your ears. It could be caused by Meniere's disease or by an ear infection. Tinnitus involves not only a loss of hearing, but also the addition of sounds in your head. Most commonly, tinnitus consists of a ringing in the ear. You can have tinnitus in one or both ears, and tinnitus can be temporary or permanent. Many rock musicians have tinnitus because years of being near extremely loud speakers has damaged their hearing.
Vocabulary lists containing tinnitus
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for October 30–November 5, 2021
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocabulary for February 11–February 17, 2023
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for August 13–August 19, 2022
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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.
Around 10% of adults also experience tinnitus, a condition commonly associated with hearing loss that causes sounds such as ringing or buzzing in the ears.
From Science Daily • Jun. 10, 2026
For tinnitus, one option is Tinnitus Retraining Therapy.
From Science Daily • Jun. 10, 2026
Although there is currently no cure for hearing loss or tinnitus, available treatments can help improve daily functioning and quality of life.
From Science Daily • Jun. 10, 2026
The goal is to make the tinnitus less distracting.
From Science Daily • Jun. 10, 2026
Meniere's disease is a disease probably of the semicircular canals, characterized by nausea, vomiting, vertigo, deafness, tinnitus aurium, and various other phenomena.
From Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine by Pyle, Walter L. (Walter Lytle)
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.
