audiometer
(ɔːdɪˈɒmɪtə(r))
[f. L. audī-re to hear + Gr. µέτρον measure: see -ometer.]
An instrument for measuring the sensitivity of the ear to sounds of different frequencies.
| 1879 Daily News 31 Dec. 5/4 This sonometer has been used by Dr. Richardson to measure minute differences in hearing under the name of the Audiometer. 1879 B. W. Richardson in Proc. R. Soc. XXIX. 65 Professor Hughes' new Instrument for the Measurement of Hearing; the Audiometer. Ibid. 70 The world of medicine..is under a deep debt of gratitude to Professor Hughes for his simple and beautiful instrument, which I have christened the audimeter, or less correctly but more euphoniously, the audiometer. 1884 Health Exhib. Catal. 145/2 Audiometer for testing the amount of hearing possessed by the deaf. 1919 Trans. Amer. Otol. Soc. XV. 24 The pitch range audiometer as we have it today, measures the tonal range from 30 double vibrations to 10,000 double vibrations; that is, the practical range of hearing. 1959 Chambers's Encycl. VI. 721/1 Audiometers are of two types: one tests hearing for speech and the other acuity for pure-tones of the kind produced by tuning-forks. |
Hence audiˈometry, the testing and measurement of the sense of hearing; ˌaudioˈmetric a., of or pertaining to audiometry; ˌaudiomeˈtrician, audiˈometrist, one who specializes in audiometry.
| 1889 Cent. Dict., Audiometry, audiometric. 1924 Volta Rev. Jan. 10 (title) Audiometric Measurements and Their Uses. 1931 Lancet 4 July 20/2 A method of audiometry by tuning-forks. 1948 Hansard Commons CCCCXLV. W.A. 221 To recruit trained audiometrists to ensure the suitable allocation of the aural aids. 1952 Lancet 15 Nov. 967/2 Any worker who was to be exposed continuously to a noise of more than 90 decibels' intensity should have his hearing tested by modern audiometric methods before starting work and at intervals afterwards. 1963 Hark! IV. 70 They were helped by the loan of equipment for free hearing tests, with two audiometricians in attendance throughout the displays. |