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tympanic membrane
noun
: a thin membrane that closes externally the cavity of the middle ear and functions in the mechanical reception of sound waves and in their transmission to the site of sensory reception
called also eardrum
see ear illustrationExamples of tympanic membrane in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
After suction of ear a small soft foreign body was seen in the external ear near the tympanic membrane, then the ear filled with glycerine phenice, the patient explained decreased movement of foreign body.
—Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 26 Feb. 2016
Garlic oil could seep past a perforated tympanic membrane into the inner ear, causing additional damage.
—Michael Daignault, USA TODAY, 28 Oct. 2021
Your eardrum, also known as your tympanic membrane, is where your middle ear begins.
—Amber Brenza, SELF, 4 Feb. 2018
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Word History
First Known Use
1855, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of tympanic membrane was
in 1855
Dictionary Entries Near tympanic membrane
Cite this Entry
“Tympanic membrane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tympanic%20membrane. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
tympanic membrane
noun
tym·pan·ic membrane
tim-ˈpan-ik-
: eardrum
Medical Definition
tympanic membrane
noun
: a thin membrane separating the middle ear from the inner part of the external auditory canal that vibrates in response to sound energy and transmits the resulting mechanical vibrations to the structures of the middle ear
called also eardrum, tympanum
More from Merriam-Webster on tympanic membrane
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tympanic membrane
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