Middle ear


A part of the ear that consists of the eardrum (tympanic membrane) and, beyond it, a cavity (tympanum). This cavity is connected to the pharynx (nasopharynx) via a canal known as the Eustachian tube. The middle ear cavity also contains a chain of three little bones, the ossicles (the malleus, incus, and stapes), which connect the eardrum to the internal ear. The middle ear communicates with the pharynx, equilibrates with external pressure, and transmits the eardrum vibrations to the inner ear.

Read Also:

  • Middle ear infection, acute

    a bulging eardrum usually accompanied by pain; or a perforated eardrum, often with drainage of purulent material (pus). Otitis media is the most frequent diagnosis in sick children in the U.S., especially affecting infants and preschoolers. Almost all children have one or more bouts of otitis media before age 6. The eustachian tube is shorter […]

  • Midget

    A very small person (or thing). Midget is a picturesque but somewhat disparaging term. It is the diminutive of midge (the insect), and who wants to be a mini-midge? A more correct term today for a very small person is dwarf or little person. The notion that a midget is (as some dictionaries state) a […]

  • Midlife crisis

    A period of personal emotional turmoil and coping challenges that some people encounter when they reach middle age, accompanied by a desire for change in their lives, brought on by fears and anxieties about growing older. The phrase “midlife crisis” was introduced in 1965 by the psychoanalyst and social scientist Elliott Jaques in a study […]

  • Midnight children

    Term applied sometimes to children with xeroderma pigmentosum, a genetic disease with such extraordinary sensitivity to sunlight that ordinary sun exposure results in the development of skin cancer at a very early age. Children with xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) can only play outdoors safely after nightfall.

  • Midwife

    A trained person who assists women during childbirth. Many midwives also provide prenatal care for pregnant women, birth education for women and their partners, and care for mothers and newborn babies after the birth. Depending on local law, midwives may deliver babies in the mother’s home, in a birthing center or clinic, or in a […]


Disclaimer: Middle ear definition / meaning should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. All content on this website is for informational purposes only.