hearing-aid
Definition
- Noun:
- A device for amplifying sound: A small electronic device worn in or behind the ear to help a person with hearing loss hear more clearly.
- A hearing instrument: A medical aid that improves hearing by making sounds louder.
Usage Examples
- (A device to amplify sound for a person with impaired hearing.)
- (Contemporary devices that use electronic technology.)
Advanced Usage
"to be fitted with a hearing-aid": to receive and begin using a hearing-aid after assessment.
- After the audiology test, he was fitted with a hearing-aid. (He was provided with the device.)
"hearing-aid compatibility": the ability of a telephone or other device to work effectively with a hearing-aid.
- Many smartphones now offer hearing-aid compatibility. (The phones are designed to reduce interference.)
Variants and Related Words
Hearing (n): the ability to perceive sound.
- Her hearing has deteriorated with age. (Her sense of hearing is weaker.)
Aid (n): help or assistance; a device that helps.
- The teacher used visual aids in the lesson. (Tools that assist learning.)
Synonyms
- Amplifier: a device that increases the strength of a signal.
- Sound processor: a device that processes sound signals (often used for cochlear implants, not identical but related).
Phrasal Verbs
(None directly related to "hearing-aid" as a compound noun.)
Related Idioms
- Turn a deaf ear: to ignore or refuse to listen.
- He turned a deaf ear to their complaints. (He deliberately ignored them.) — Note: This idiom uses "deaf" but is not directly about a hearing-aid.