What does monaurally mean?
Monaurally means using, hearing, or listening with one ear rather than both ears. The word is especially common in medicine, audiology, and audio engineering. During a monaural hearing test, each ear may be assessed separately while the other is blocked. In sound technology, monaural playback uses a single audio channel, so the result is generally less spatially defined than stereo or binaural playback. The term is more technical than the ordinary expression “with one ear,” but it is precise and useful when describing hearing tests, sound equipment, or the experience of listening to audio. Its meaning is distinct from “monocular,” which relates to one eye, and from “unilateral,” which generally means affecting or occurring on one side without necessarily specifying an ear or an audio channel.
adverbUsing, hearing, or listening with one ear rather than both ears. It can also refer to sound being reproduced or perceived through a single channel.
- Using or listening with one ear rather than both ears.
- In audio technology, involving or reproducing sound through a single channel rather than in stereo.
"The technician asked the patient to listen monaurally while testing each ear separately."
"The doctor tested her hearing monaurally by blocking one ear at a time."
"The recording was played monaurally through the left-hand speaker."
Monaurally means one ear at a time—the opposite of giving both ears an equal share of the sound.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does monaurally come from?
Monaurally is formed from the adjective monaural with the adverbial suffix -ly. Monaural combines the Greek-derived prefix mono-, meaning “one” or “single,” with aural, an adjective related to hearing and derived from Latin auris, meaning “ear.” The same roots appear in words such as monopoly, from Greek monos meaning “single,” and aural, describing things connected with hearing or the ear.
Related word forms
How monaurally is actually used
More common in specialist, technical, and clinical contexts than in everyday conversation. In audio, it is often used to distinguish single-channel sound from binaural or stereo sound.