What does eardrop mean?
An eardrop is a noun with two related-by-spelling but distinct meanings. Its primary sense is a piece of jewellery: a drop-shaped or dangling ornament worn hanging from the earlobe, often set with pearls, diamonds, or coloured stones. In this sense it is a somewhat literary or traditional alternative to the everyday phrase 'drop earring', appearing frequently in descriptions of historical dress and portraiture. The second sense belongs to pharmacy: in the plural, 'eardrops' are liquid medicines administered into the ear canal drop by drop to treat infection, inflammation, or wax build-up. The word is a straightforward compound of 'ear' and 'drop', formed within English, with the jewellery sense attested from around the seventeenth century. Writers today should note that the singular usually signals the ornament while the plural often signals the remedy, and that 'ear drops' as two words is now the preferred spelling in medical contexts.
A drop-shaped or dangling earring worn on the lobe of the ear.
"Her grandmother's diamond eardrops were the finest thing she owned."
Often used in the plural when referring to a pair.
(In the plural 'eardrops') A liquid medicine instilled into the ear drop by drop.
"The doctor prescribed eardrops to treat the swimmer's ear."
Modern medical writing typically spells this as two words, 'ear drops'.
For the jewellery sense, the plural typically denotes a pair. For the medical sense, the plural is the standard form even when referring to a single bottle of medication.
"She fastened her silver eardrops before leaving for the ball."
Before it ever meant medicine, an eardrop was pure ornament — the word has dangled from English ears since at least the 17th century.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of eardrop
Eardrop is an English compound formed transparently from the Old English words ēare ('ear') and dropa ('drop'). The jewellery sense, denoting a pendant earring shaped like or hanging like a droplet, is attested from about the early seventeenth century. The medical sense arose later by extension, applying the same compound to drops of liquid placed in the ear; today this sense survives chiefly in the plural 'eardrops', while modern pharmaceutical style favours writing 'ear drops' as two separate words.
Related word forms
How eardrop is actually used
In contemporary usage the singular 'eardrop' almost always means the earring; the medicinal sense normally appears only in the plural form 'eardrops'. The jewellery sense can sound slightly old-fashioned or literary compared with the everyday terms 'drop earrings' or 'earrings'.
Easily confused with eardrop
An eardrum is the membrane inside the ear that vibrates in response to sound, whereas an eardrop is either a piece of jewellery or liquid medication for the ear.
'Ear drops' written as two words is the ordinary modern spelling for medicinal liquid applied to the ear, while 'eardrops' as one word more commonly denotes a type of earring.