Words / B2

EERDR-um/ˈɪədrʌm/

The eardrum is the thin membrane inside the ear that vibrates when sound reaches it: burst an eardrum; behind the eardrum. Tympanic membrane is the biology twin; eardrum is the everyday exam word. Label the eardrum on the ear diagram, then the function. Mix-up: eardrum vs earpiece (this batch); eardrum vs eardrop; do not write eardrum for the whole ear or for the cochlea.

Meaning

The thin membrane inside the ear that vibrates when sound reaches it.

Examples

• “Label the eardrum on the ear diagram, then the function, the biology paper said.”
• “A perforated eardrum featured in the first-aid note, which is still a named injury — quote the cause if given.”

Good to know

the eardrum; burst / perforated eardrum. Biology twin: tympanic membrane. Neighbour: earpiece (this batch). Trap: the whole ear / cochlea. Biology and physics (sound). The vibrating membrane — label it, then the path to the ossicles.

Near in meaning

tympanic membrane, drum, tympanum

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