What does aurally mean?
"Aurally" is an adverb meaning by way of the ear — it describes anything received, perceived, or assessed through the sense of hearing rather than sight or touch. It derives from "aural," an adjective relating to the ear, which in turn traces back to the Latin "auris." The word appears most often in academic and technical contexts: musicians may learn pieces aurally by listening rather than reading notation, language learners can be tested aurally on comprehension, and media critics may describe films as aurally striking because of their sound design. Its connotations are neutral and precise rather than emotional. A notable quirk is its closeness to "orally," which refers to the mouth and spoken words; despite differing by only one letter, the two point in opposite directions — one describes input through the ear, the output through speech. For writers needing a concise way to signal that something happens through hearing, "aurally" fills a niche no other common English adverb quite occupies.
adverbBy means of hearing or the ear; in a manner relating to the sense of hearing rather than sight or other senses.
- By means of the ear or the sense of hearing (e.g., information received aurally rather than visually)
"The students were tested aurally on their ability to identify musical intervals."
"The dictation exam assessed how well candidates could process language aurally."
"Much of the podcast's appeal lies in its aurally rich production, layered with ambient sound."
Swap one letter and 'aurally' becomes its opposite-sounding twin 'orally' — one goes in your ear, the other out of your mouth.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of aurally
Aurally comes from the adjective "aural," formed from the Latin "auris," meaning ear. The adjective entered English around the mid-nineteenth century, and the adverb followed shortly after as scientific and pedagogical writing demanded a term for perception via hearing. It shares its Latin root with a broad family of hearing-related words, including "auditory," "audition," "audience," and "audio," all ultimately connected to the act of hearing.
Related word forms
How aurally is actually used
Formal to neutral register, common in academic and educational contexts such as music, linguistics, and language testing. It typically modifies verbs describing perception or assessment.
Easily confused with aurally
Orally means by mouth or through speech, while aurally means by ear or through hearing — they differ by one letter and are near-homophones, making them a classic mix-up.