auditory

A1U1D2I1T1O1R1Y4
UK/ˈɔː.dɪ.tə.ɹi/UK/ˈɔː.dɪ.tɹi/US/ˈɔː.dɪˌtɔɹ.i/cot caught merger/ˈɑː.dɪˌtɔɹ.i/

adjective

Of, or relating to hearing, or to the sense or organs of hearing.

Less commonScrabble 12

Meanings

auditory1

adjectiveauditory (not comparable)
  1. not comparableOf, or relating to hearing, or to the sense or organs of hearing.

    Synonyms: otic, acoustic, aural, auricular

auditory2

nounauditory (plural auditories)

plural auditories

  1. archaicSynonym of audience.

    A general murmur of assent arose from his little auditory.

    1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter IV, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 26
    2 more examples

    ...and because though these learned Gentlemen (sayes he, turning to his two friends) need not fear to discourse before any Auditory...

    1661, Robert Boyle, The Sceptical Chymist, page 7

    Preaching of Sermons is Speaking to a few of Mankind: Printing of Books is Talking to the whole World. The Parson Prescribes himself, and addresses to the particular Auditory with the Appellation of My Brethren; but he that Prints a Book, ought to Preface it with a Noverint Universi, Know all Men by these Presents. The proper Inference drawn from this remarkable Observation, is, That tho' he that Preaches from the Pulpit ought to be careful of his Words, that nothing pass from him but with an especial Sanction of Truth; yet he that Prints and Publishes to all the World, has a tenfold Obligation.

    1704, Daniel Defoe, “Preface”, in The Storm: Or, a Collection of the Most Remarkable Casualties and Disasters which Happen'd in the Late Dreadful Tempest, Both by Sea and Land, J. Nutt

    Synonyms: audience

  2. archaicSynonym of auditorium.

    Synonyms: auditorium

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveOf, or relating to hearing, or to the sense or organs of hearing.

nounSynonym of audience.

Similar

nounSynonym of auditorium.

Similar

More synonyms by meaning

adjectiveof or relating to the process of hearing

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

auditory · adjective

  1. Latinaudītōrius“pertaining to a hearer or hearing”
  2. Englishauditory

Borrowed from Latin audītōrius (“pertaining to a hearer or hearing”), from audiō (“to hear”) + -tōrius (“-tory”, adjectival suffix).

Full word history & related roots →

auditory · noun

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ewis
  2. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
  3. Proto-Italic*awizdiō
  4. Latinaudiō
  5. Latinaudītor
  6. Latinaudītōrius
  7. Latinaudītōrium
  8. Englishauditory

From Latin audītōrium (“the place where something is heard; the assembled hearers”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic سَمْعِيّ
  • سَمْعِيّ (samʕiyy)Translations
Bulgarian слухов
  • слухов (sluhov)Translations
Catalan auditiu
  • auditiuTranslations
Chinese Mandarin 聽覺的 /听觉的, 耳朵的
  • 聽覺的 /听觉的 (tīngjué de)Translations
  • 耳朵的 (ěrduo de)Translations
Czech sluchový
  • sluchovýTranslations
Dutch auditief
  • auditiefTranslations
Esperanto aŭda
  • aŭdaTranslations
Finnish kuulo-
  • kuulo-Translations
French auditoire, auditif
  • auditoireTranslations
  • auditifTranslations
German auditorisch, auditiv
  • auditorischTranslations
  • auditivTranslations
Hebrew קולי class קול/קוליים
  • קולי class קול/קוליים (ḳoli)Translations
Italian uditivo
  • uditivoTranslations
Polish audialny, słuchowy
  • audialnyTranslations
  • słuchowyTranslations
  • audytywnyTranslations
Portuguese auditivo, auditório
  • auditivoTranslations
  • auditórioTranslations
Romanian auditiv
  • auditivTranslations
Russian слухово́й
  • слухово́й (sluxovój)Translations
Scottish Gaelic claisneach, claistinneach
  • claisneachTranslations
  • claistinneachTranslations
Slovak sluchový
  • sluchovýTranslations
Spanish auditivo
  • auditivoTranslations

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with auditory

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

auditory. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/auditory

MLA

“auditory.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/auditory. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “auditory,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/auditory.

Source: auditory on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.