What does auditorily mean?
"Auditorily" is a formal adverb describing something done or perceived in relation to the sense of hearing. It typically appears in academic and technical writing — psychology, linguistics, audiology, and education research — where writers need to distinguish information delivered through sound from information delivered visually or in writing. For example, a researcher might note that participants processed the stimuli auditorily rather than visually, or an accessibility report might state that instructions were presented both visually and auditorily. The word derives from the adjective "auditory," which traces back through Latin "auditorius" to "audire," meaning "to hear" — the same root that gives us "audible," "audience," and "audio." Because it sounds somewhat clinical, "auditorily" rarely surfaces in casual conversation, where simpler expressions such as "by ear" do the work instead. Still, it fills a precise niche for anyone writing carefully about how humans receive and process sound-based information.
adverbIn a manner relating to the sense of hearing or to sound; by means of listening rather than seeing or reading.
- Relating to or involving the sense of hearing; by means of sound or listening.
"The two recordings were indistinguishable auditorily, though their waveforms differed slightly."
"Students who learn better auditorily often benefit from recorded lectures and read-aloud sessions."
"The warning signal was conveyed auditorily rather than through flashing lights."
"Auditorily" packs four syllables into a job that "aurally" does in two — yet scientists still prefer it when contrasting how we learn through our ears versus our eyes.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of auditorily
"Auditorily" derives from the English adjective "auditory," combined with the adverbial suffix "-ly." "Auditory" comes from Latin "auditorius," meaning "of or relating to hearing," formed from "audire," "to hear." This Latin verb is the source of a whole family of English words, including "audible," "audience," "audio," and "auditorium," all sharing the core idea of hearing or listening. The adverb form developed alongside modern scientific and educational usage, where precise contrasts between sensory modalities became common vocabulary.
Related word forms
How auditorily is actually used
"Auditorily" is formal and technical, appearing mostly in psychology, linguistics, education research, and accessibility contexts. In everyday speech, speakers usually prefer phrases like "by ear" or "out loud."
Easily confused with auditorily
"Audibly" means loud enough to be heard, while "auditorily" means in a way relating to hearing as a sense.
"Visually" refers to information received through sight, whereas "auditorily" refers to information received through hearing.