noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˈɪə̯ɹeɪk/
General-American:/ˈiɹeɪk/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A pain in the middle or inner ear.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: medicine, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: otalgia, otodynia
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Annoyance or aggravation caused by noise, especially the sound of someone nagging, complaining, issuing orders, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, informal, uncountable
Examples
I can't stay too late at the pub, otherwise I'll get a load of earache from the missus.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
an ache localized in the middle or inner ear
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: otalgia
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: ache, aching
History
Etymology
From ear + ache.
Across languages
Translations
48 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
أَلَم الأُذُنِ
(ʔalam al-ʔuḏuni)
— pain in the ear
Arabic:
أَلَم الأُذْنِ
(ʔalam al-ʔuḏni)
— pain in the ear
Bulgarian:
болка в ухото
(bolka v uhoto)
— pain in the ear
Catalan:
otàlgia
— pain in the ear
Chinese Mandarin:
耳痛
(ěrtòng)
— pain in the ear
Danish:
ørepine
— pain in the ear
Dutch:
oorpijn
— pain in the ear
Esperanto:
oreldoloro
— pain in the ear
Finnish:
korvasärky
— pain in the ear
Finnish:
korvakipu
— pain in the ear
Finnish:
otalgia
— pain in the ear
French:
otalgie
— pain in the ear
Galician:
otalxia
— pain in the ear
German:
Ohrenschmerzen
— pain in the ear
Greek:
πόνος αυτιού
(pónos aftioú)
— pain in the ear
Greek:
ωταλγία
(otalgía)
— pain in the ear
Greek:
πόνος στο αυτί
(pónos sto aftí)
— pain in the ear
Indonesian:
sakit telinga
— pain in the ear
Italian:
otalgia
— pain in the ear
Japanese:
耳痛
(jitsū)
— pain in the ear
Northern Kurdish:
guhêş
— pain in the ear
Malay:
sakit telinga
— pain in the ear
Malayalam:
ചെവിക്കുത്ത്
(cevikkutt)
— pain in the ear
Marathi:
कानदुखी
(kāndukhī)
— pain in the ear
Navajo:
ajaayiʼ hodiniih
— pain in the ear
Norman:
mal ès ouïes
— pain in the ear
Norwegian Bokmål:
øreverk
— pain in the ear
Norwegian Bokmål:
ørepine
— pain in the ear
Norwegian Nynorsk:
øyreverk
— pain in the ear
Occitan:
otalgia
— pain in the ear
Polish:
otalgia
— pain in the ear
Polish:
ból ucha
— pain in the ear
Portuguese:
otalgia
— pain in the ear
Romanian:
durere de ureche
— pain in the ear
Russian:
ушна́я боль
(ušnája bolʹ)
— pain in the ear
Russian:
оталги́я
(otalgíja)
— pain in the ear
Spanish:
dolor de oído
— pain in the ear
Spanish:
otalgia
— pain in the ear
Tagalog:
sakit-tainga
— pain in the ear
Tahitian:
tui
— pain in the ear
Tamil:
காதுவலி
(kātuvali)
— pain in the ear
Tamil:
செவிக்குத்து
(cevikkuttu)
— pain in the ear
Tamil:
செவிவலி
(cevivali)
— pain in the ear
Tamil:
காதுக்குத்து
(kātukkuttu)
— pain in the ear
