Definition

Noun: - An instrument used to measure the acuity of hearing: An audiometer is a device that generates sounds at specific frequencies and intensities to test a person's hearing sensitivity and determine their hearing thresholds.

Usage

• The term is used primarily in medical, audiological, and clinical contexts to describe the equipment used for formal hearing tests.
• It is a technical, compound noun formed from "audio-" (relating to hearing) and "-meter" (a measuring device).

Examples

• Noun:
  • The audiologist calibrated the audiometer before beginning the hearing test.
  • Modern audiometers can present tones through headphones or bone conduction oscillators.

Advanced Usage

• "Pure-tone audiometer": A standard type of audiometer that tests hearing sensitivity using pure tones at different frequencies.
  • The diagnosis was confirmed using a pure-tone audiometer.
• "Speech audiometer": An audiometer that uses recorded or live speech instead of pure tones to assess hearing.
  • The speech audiometer helped evaluate her ability to understand words.

Variants and Related Words

• Audiometry (n): The science or practice of measuring hearing acuity.
  • She specializes in clinical audiometry.
• Audiometric (adj): Relating to the measurement of hearing.
  • The audiometric results were within the normal range.
• Audiologist (n): A healthcare professional specializing in hearing disorders, who operates an audiometer.
  • The audiologist interpreted the audiometer's readings.

Synonyms

• Hearing tester: A less formal, descriptive synonym.
• Acoumeter: An older or alternative term for a similar instrument.

Related Phrases

• "To administer an audiometric test": To conduct a hearing test using an audiometer.
  • The technician was trained to administer an audiometric test.
• "Audiometer booth": A sound-treated room where hearing tests are conducted.
  • The patient sat inside the audiometer booth for the examination.

Noun

1. an instrument used to measure the sensitivity of hearing