binaural

adjective

bin·​au·​ral (ˌ)bī-ˈnȯr-əl How to pronounce binaural (audio)
(ˌ)bi-
1
: of, relating to, or involving two or both ears
2
: stereophonic
binaurally
(ˌ)bī-ˈnȯr-ə-lē How to pronounce binaural (audio)
(ˌ)bi-
adverb

Examples of binaural in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Some people also use binaural beats. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 11 Dec. 2025 For example, some stories call for a binaural microphone. — Emily Longeretta, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026 Feeney works through a deliberate range of instruments, moving from low grounding tones up through binaural beats and back down again to hold attention for a full hour. — Avery Newmark, AJC.com, 26 Mar. 2026 The sonic version of the novel layers narrative and soundscapes that were recorded with binaural mikes, hydrophones, and geophones. — Nina Mesfin, New Yorker, 8 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for binaural

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of binaural was in 1856

Rhymes for binaural

See All Rhymes for binaural

Browse Nearby Words

binational
binaural
binauricular
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Binaural.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/binaural. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

binaural

adjective
bin·​au·​ral (ˈ)bī-ˈnȯr-əl How to pronounce binaural (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or used with both ears
a binaural stethoscope
2
: of, relating to, or making up sound reproduction using two separated microphones and two channels to get a stereophonic effect
binaurally
-ə-lē How to pronounce binaural (audio)
adverb

Medical Definition

binaural

adjective
bin·​au·​ral (ˈ)bī-ˈnȯr-əl How to pronounce binaural (audio) (ˈ)bin-ˈȯr- How to pronounce binaural (audio)
: of, relating to, or involving two or both ears
binaurally
-ə-lē How to pronounce binaural (audio)
adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All