noun
hearing
The reception of spoken information through listening.
On hearing the news, she calls her sister right away.
Etymology
The action-noun ending names hearing as a process. In this sense, it emphasizes receiving spoken information by listening rather than merely possessing auditory ability.
More examples
- Hearing the instructions twice helps me remember each step.
- Her face lights up on hearing his kind words.
- There's a big difference between hearing advice and following it.
Forms
hearing
hear verb — Perceive spoken words or other sounds.
Similar words
- listening
- Emphasizes deliberate attention rather than simply receiving spoken information.