Download Hearing Vocabulary List

Hearing Vocabulary List –
1. cochlea
2. pinna
3. tympanic membrane
4. malleus
5. incus
6. stapes
7. ear canal
8. semicircular canals
9. organ of corti
10. auditory nerve
11. hair cells
12. permanent threshold shift
13. temporary threshold shift
14. frequency
15. decibel
16. hearing protective devices
17. duration
18. intensity
19. impulse sound
20. noise induced hearing loss
Hearing and Ear Vocabulary List – KEY
1. cochlea - A spiral structure in the inner ear that looks like a snail shell and contains tiny hair cells whose movement is
interpreted by the brain as sound.
2. pinna - The visible part of the ear that resides outside of the head; the largely cartilaginous projecting portion
of the external ear.
3. tympanic membrane - The thin, semitransparent, oval-shaped membrane that separates the middle ear from the external
ear, also called the eardrum.
4. malleus – A hammer-shaped bone, the outermost of three small bones in the middle ear that transmit sound waves from
the eardrum to the inner ear.
5. incus - A small anvil-shaped bone in the middle ear of mammals between the malleus and stapes bones.
6. stapes – A small stirrup-shaped bone in the middle ear of mammals; the innermost of the three small bones that transmit
vibration to the inner ear.
7. ear canal - The narrow, tube-like passage through which sound enters the ear, also called the external auditory canal.
8. semicircular canals - Any of three tubular and looped structures of the inner ear, together functioning in maintenance of
the sense of balance in the body.
9. organ of corti - The sense organ of the cochlea by which sounds are converted into nerve impulses.
10. auditory nerve - A bundle of nerve fibers carrying sound information between the cochlea and the brain.
11. hair cells - Any of the nerve cells of the cochlea having groups of projecting, hair-like receptors that are sensitive to
vibrations and sound waves.
12. permanent threshold shift - A permanent decline in hearing following overexposure to noise.
13. temporary threshold shift – A temporary hearing loss (temporary increase in the threshold of hearing) which occurs
immediately after exposure to a high level of noise.
14. frequency – How often a wave peak goes by, referred to as pitch in music.
15. decibel - A numerical expression of the relative loudness of a sound.
16. hearing protective devices - A type of personal protective equipment specifically designed to prevent hearing damage,
including ear plugs and ear muffs.
17. duration - The length of time something continues or exists.
18. intensity - Sound power per unit area.
19. impulse sound - Noise consisting of single bursts with a duration of less than one second with peak levels 15 dB
higher than background noise.
20. noise induced hearing loss - Hearing loss caused by exposure to harmful sounds, either very loud impulse sound(s) or
repeated exposure to sounds over 90 decibels over an extended period of time, that damage the sensitive structures of the
inner ear.