Phrase guide

mind's ear

noun · 1 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /maɪndz‿ˈɪə/
  • General-American: /maɪndz‿ˈɪəɹ/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪə(ɹ)

1

noun

Meaning 1

The mental faculty or inner sense with which one produces or reproduces imagined or recalled sounds solely within the mind; the supposed organ within the mind which experiences such sounds.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: inner ear

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From mind (noun) + -’s (possessive marker) + ear, probably modelled after mind’s eye.

Across languages

Translations

1 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: mieli — mental faculty or inner sense with which one produces or reproduces imagined or recalled sounds solely within the mind