ear
UK[ɪə]US[ɪr]
n
The organ of hearing in humans and other vertebrates.
n
The ability to perceive sounds; the sense of hearing.
n
An ear-like part, especially the seed-bearing spike of a cereal plant such as corn.
Etymology
The word 'ear' descends directly from the Old English 'ēare', which is a common Germanic term, related to Dutch 'oor' and German 'Ohr'. Its ultimate origin is the Proto-Indo-European root h₂ṓws-, meaning 'ear'. This ancient root also gave rise to Latin 'auris' (source of 'aural') and Greek 'oûs'. The semantic journey is remarkably direct, with the word's core meaning of the auditory organ remaining stable for millennia across these languages. The botanical sense of an 'ear' of grain developed in Old English via metaphorical extension, likening the shape of the grain cluster to the external part of the human ear.
Analysis
This is a simplex word of Old English origin. It is not productively composed of smaller, meaningful morphemes in modern English.
Examples
She whispered something in his ear.
He has a good ear for music and can identify any note.
The farmer examined the plump ears of wheat in the field.