Auditory: Meaning, Examples, and Usage

Meaning 1：related to hearing (auditory)

auditory 🔊

/ˈɔːdɪtɔːri/

adj.

Related to hearing or the sense of hearing.

Person wearing headphones listening to music in a quiet room

related to hearing 🔊

➕

/rɪˈleɪtɪd tuː ˈhɪərɪŋ/

adj.

Auditory describes anything connected with the sense of hearing or the process of perceiving sound.

📁 Category：Physical & Mental Health 🔖 Level：intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

auditory = Latin 'audire' (to hear) + '-ory' (relating to).

💡 Mnemonic

Think of 'audio' + 'story' — an audio story relates to hearing.

📖 Example

The music teacher has a very sharp auditory sense and can tell if a student's piano is even slightly out of tune. 🔊 The music teacher has a very sharp auditory sense and can tell if a student's piano is even slightly out of tune.

🔗 Collocations

auditory cortex – the part of the brain responsible for processing sound

auditory system – the organs and nerves involved in hearing

auditory perception – the ability to interpret and understand sounds

🔄 Synonyms

aural (adj.) – relating to the ear or the sense of hearing

acoustic (adj.) – relating to sound or the sense of hearing

auditive (adj.) – relating to the sense of hearing (less common)

🚫 Antonyms

visual (adj.) – relating to sight or vision

tactile (adj.) – relating to the sense of touch

olfactory (adj.) – relating to the sense of smell

🌱 Derivatives

auditorily (adv.) – in a way that relates to hearing

audibility (n.) – the quality of being able to be heard

audition (n.) – a test of hearing or a brief performance to demonstrate skill

📖 Cultural Story

Auditory derives from Latin 'audire' (to hear) and '-ory'. It entered English in the 16th century and is common in audiology and education.