Eardrum

/ˈɪɹdɹʌm/ noun

Definition

A thin membrane inside your ear that vibrates when sound waves hit it, allowing you to hear.

Etymology

A compound word combining 'ear' and 'drum,' named for its function—it literally drums or vibrates like a drum to transmit sound vibrations to the inner ear.

Kelly Says

Your eardrum is literally a biological drum that vibrates thousands of times per second; without it, sound waves would just whoosh past your inner ear, which is why people with perforated eardrums lose hearing until it heals.

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