Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ-
Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew-
Proto-Indo-European *-s
Proto-Indo-European *h₂ṓws
Proto-Indo-European *-yéti
Proto-Indo-European *h₂ḱh₂owsyéti
Proto-Germanic *hauzijaną
Proto-West Germanic *hauʀijan
Old English hīeran
Middle English heren
English hear
From Middle English har, heoren, her, here, heren, from Old English hēran, hīeran, hīran, hȳran (“to hear”), from Proto-West Germanic *hauʀijan, from Proto-Germanic *hauzijaną (“to hear”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ḱh₂owsyéti (“to be sharp-eared”), from *h₂eḱ- (“sharp”) + *h₂ows- (“ear”) + *-yéti (denominative suffix).
Cognates
Cognate with North Frisian hear, hiar, hiir, hiire (“to hear”), Saterland Frisian heere, here (“to hear”), West Frisian hearre (“to hear”), Bavarian hearn (“to hear”), Central Franconian hüre (“to hear”), Cimbrian hòrran, höarn (“to hear”), Dutch horen (“to hear”), German and Low German hören (“to hear”), Luxembourgish héieren (“to hear”), Yiddish הערן (hern, “to hear”), Danish and Norwegian Bokmål høre (“to hear”), Elfdalian ära (“to hear”), Faroese hoyra (“to hear”), Icelandic heyra (“to hear”), Norwegian Nynorsk haur, høra, høre, høyra, høyre (“to hear”), Swedish höra (“to hear”), Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌿𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌽 (hausjan, “to hear”); also Greek ακούγω (akoúgo), ακούω (akoúo, “to hear”), Italiot Greek κούω (koúo, “to hear”), Tocharian B āks- (“to awaken”).
Meanings
(intransitive, stative) To perceive sounds through the ear.
I was deaf, but now I can hear.
(stative, transitive) To perceive (a sound, or something producing a sound) with the ear, to recognize (something) in an auditory way.
I could hear them quarreling upstairs, but didn’t really listen to their argument.
Mr. Cooke at once began a tirade against the residents of Asquith for permitting a sandy and generally disgraceful condition of the roads. So roundly did he vituperate the inn management in particular, and with such a loud flow of words, that I trembled lest he should be heard on the veranda. 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
(transitive) To exercise this faculty intentionally; to listen to.
Agayne there was dissencion amonge the iewes for these sayinges, and many of them sayd: He hath the devyll, and is madde: why heare ye hym? 1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, John:
It had been his intention to go to Wimbledon, but as he himself said: “Why be blooming well frizzled when you can hear all the results over the wireless. And results are all that concern me. […]” 1935, George Goodchild, chapter 3, in Death on the Centre Court:
(transitive) To listen favourably to; to grant (a request etc.).
Eventually the king chose to hear her entreaties.
(transitive) To receive information about; to come to learn of.
Adam, soon as he heard / The fatal Trespass don by Eve, amaz'd, / Astonied stood and Blank […] 1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost:
To be contacted by.
They're ten hours overdue. Have you heard from any of them since they left Nineveh? 2012, Art Wiederhold, Charles Sutphen, From the Depths of Evil, →ISBN, page 343:
She left and I never heard from her again. 2012, James Meredith, A Mission from God: A Memoir and Challenge for America, →ISBN:
I haven't heard from you in a while; how have you been?
When I don't hear from you, My days feel long and lonely. 2009, Elsa T. Aguries, The Pearl Within, →ISBN, page 141:
(transitive) To listen to (a person, case) in a court of law; to try.
Your case will be heard at the end of the month.
(informal, transitive) To sympathize with; to understand the feelings or opinion of.
You're tired of all the ads on TV? I hear ya.
(Greek, transitive) To study under.
Ammonius, the teacher of both Simplicius and Philoponus, tells us how Julian gave a ruling […] in favor of Maximus, who had heard Iamblichus, and followed him and Porphyry (in An. Pr. 31,15–22). 1990, Henry J. Blumenthal, “Themistius: the last Peripatetic commentator on Aristotle?”, in Richard Sorabji, editor, Aristotle Transformed: The Ancient Commentators and Their Influence, 2nd edition, published 2016, →ISBN, pages 130–31:
SPHÆRUS was of Bosphorus, he first heard Zeno, then Cleanthes, and having made a sufficient progresse in learning, went to Alexandria to Ptolomy Philopater […] 1656, Thomas Stanley, The History of Philosophy. The Eighth Part, Containing the Stoick Philosophers, page 15:
Charmadas, never actually Head of School but a prominent Academic who had himself heard Carneades, was prepared to teach Plato’s Gorgias […] 2018, “Introduction: The Old Academy to Cicero”, in Harold Tarrant et al., editors, Brill’s Companion to the Reception of Plato in Antiquity, →ISBN, pages 24–25:
rup avdu (roa-rup) (to perceive with the ear) · de hören (to perceive sounds through the ear) · et kuulma (to perceive with the ear) · so maqlid (to perceive with the ear) · mr कानावर पडणे (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · aln ni (to perceive with the ear) · fro entendre (to perceive with the ear) · fur uldî (to perceive with the ear) · es oír (to perceive sounds through the ear) · tyv дыңнап каар (to perceive with the ear) · ml കേൾക്കുക (to perceive with the ear) · uga 𐎌𐎎𐎓 (to perceive sounds through the ear) · sc intèndiri (to perceive with the ear) · be учу́ць (to perceive with the ear) · os хъусын (to perceive sounds through the ear) · it conoscere (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · ba ишетеү (to perceive with the ear) · gsw lose (to perceive sounds through the ear) · ko 듣다 (to perceive with the ear) · sv höra (to perceive sounds through the ear) · gl ouvir (to perceive with the ear) · wmw kusikira (to perceive with the ear) · ks بوزُن (to perceive with the ear) · lo ໄດ້ຍິນ (to perceive with the ear) · ka გაგონება (to perceive with the ear) · ast oyer (to perceive with the ear) · ur سُنْنا (to perceive with the ear) · hy լսել (to perceive with the ear) · rsk учуц (to perceive with the ear) · nan-hbl 聽著 /听着 (to perceive with the ear) · mi hakiri (Indistinctly) (to perceive with the ear) · yi הערן (to perceive with the ear) · kxd dangar (to perceive with the ear) · ckb بیستن (to perceive with the ear) · qu uyarii (to perceive with the ear) · txb klyaus- (to perceive sounds through the ear) · grc ἀκούω (to perceive with the ear) · eo aŭdi (to perceive with the ear) · gl oír (to perceive with the ear) · fr entendre (to perceive sounds through the ear) · bg узна́вам (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · nl horen (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · cmn 聽見 /听见 (to perceive sounds through the ear) · ssy oobbe (to perceive with the ear) · aa oobbe (to perceive with the ear) · frr hiar (to perceive with the ear) · sa शृणोति (to perceive sounds through the ear) · nah caqui (to perceive with the ear) · cmn 聽 /听 (to perceive with the ear) · ang ġehīeran (to perceive sounds through the ear) · grc ἀκούω (to perceive sounds through the ear) · mk слуша (to perceive with the ear) · om dhaga'uu (to perceive with the ear) · fur sintî (to perceive with the ear) · es enterarse (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · qu uyariy (to perceive with the ear) · ms dengar (to perceive with the ear) · ps اورول (to perceive with the ear) · it udire (to perceive with the ear) · hi सुनना (to perceive with the ear) · nrf ouï (to perceive with the ear) · ja 聞く (to perceive with the ear) · bg чу́вам (to perceive with the ear) · ruo avzi (to perceive with the ear) · hsb słyšeć (to perceive with the ear) · ppl caqui (to perceive with the ear) · ce хаза (to perceive with the ear) · sl slišati (to perceive with the ear) · fi kuulla (to perceive sounds through the ear) · ltg izdzierst (to perceive with the ear) · fy hearre (to perceive with the ear) · my ကြား (to perceive with the ear) · nl horen (to perceive with the ear) · es oir (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · orv слꙑшати (to perceive with the ear) · uz eshitmoq (to perceive with the ear) · sa शृणोति (to perceive with the ear) · it sentire (to perceive sounds through the ear) · enq singi (to perceive with the ear) · uk почу́ти (to perceive with the ear) · it sentire (to perceive with the ear) · tyv дыңнаар (to perceive with the ear) · cu слꙑшати (to perceive with the ear) · pdc heere (to perceive with the ear) · liv kūlõ (to perceive with the ear) · lv dzirdēt (to perceive with the ear) · atj petam (to perceive with the ear) · rel dag (to perceive with the ear) · mk слушне (to perceive with the ear) · ksw နၢ်ဟူ (to perceive with the ear) · kea obi (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · tt ишетергә (to perceive with the ear) · fa-ira شُنیدَن (to perceive with the ear) · mba paliman (to perceive with the ear) · be ўчуць (to perceive with the ear) · fi kuulla (to perceive with the ear) · sk počuť o (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · or ଶୁଣିବା (to perceive with the ear) · sc intènnere (to perceive with the ear) · rm udir (to perceive with the ear) · mt sama’ (to perceive with the ear) · tpi harim (to perceive with the ear) · ibg ginna (to perceive with the ear) · ro auzi (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · kea uví (to perceive sounds through the ear) · grc ἀΐω (to perceive with the ear) · mi rongo (to perceive sounds through the ear) · shn ၺိၼ် (to perceive with the ear) · uga 𐎌𐎎𐎓 (to perceive with the ear) · ug ئاڭلىماق (to perceive with the ear) · vi nghe (to perceive with the ear) · mi hakiri (Indistinctly) (to perceive sounds through the ear) · tsg dungug (to perceive with the ear) · ca aprendre (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · abs dangar (to perceive with the ear) · ga cluin (to perceive with the ear) · got 𐌷𐌰𐌿𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to perceive sounds through the ear) · crh eşitmek (to perceive with the ear) · fo hoyra (to perceive with the ear) · got 𐌷𐌰𐌿𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to perceive with the ear) · tl makarinig (to perceive with the ear) · non heyra (to perceive with the ear) · sh слу̏шати (to perceive with the ear) · shn ငိၼ် (to perceive with the ear) · sk počuť (to perceive with the ear) · gl sentir (to perceive sounds through the ear) · mk чуе (to perceive with the ear) · fi kuulla (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · tr duymak (to perceive sounds through the ear) · qu wiyai (to perceive with the ear) · es escuchar (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · cy clywed (to perceive with the ear) · el ακούω (to perceive with the ear) · io audar (to perceive with the ear) · zea 'ore (to perceive with the ear) · non hǫra (to perceive with the ear) · rap ngaro'a (to perceive with the ear) · ta கேள்விப்படு (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · nb høre (to perceive with the ear) · id dengar (to perceive sounds through the ear) · af hoor (to perceive with the ear) · osx horian (to perceive with the ear) · yur kom' (to perceive with the ear) · pl słyszeć (to perceive with the ear) · is heyra (to perceive with the ear) · si ඇසෙනවා (to perceive with the ear) · ru слы́шать (to perceive with the ear) · yur ko'moyok' (to perceive with the ear) · pt ouvir (to perceive sounds through the ear) · ddg vari (to perceive with the ear) · km ឮ (to perceive with the ear) · br kleved (to perceive with the ear) · mi oko (to perceive sounds through the ear) · rsk чуц (to perceive with the ear) · gez ሰምዐ (to perceive with the ear) · kk есту (to perceive with the ear) · apw yidits’įh (to perceive sounds through the ear) · akl dungog (to perceive with the ear) · eo aŭdi (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · yag mara (to perceive sounds through the ear) · fr ouïr dire (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · ary سْمع (to perceive with the ear) · am ሰማ (to perceive with the ear) · hu hall (to perceive with the ear) · pt ouvir falar (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · grc κλύω (to perceive with the ear) · mnc ᡩᠣᠨᠵᡳᠮᠪᡳ (to perceive with the ear) · gld долди- (to perceive with the ear) · sk čuť (to perceive with the ear) · khi-kun s'aː (to perceive with the ear) · az eşitmək (to perceive with the ear) · syl ꠢꠥꠘꠣ (to perceive sounds through the ear) · scn sintiri (to perceive with the ear) · ta கேள் (to perceive with the ear) · gsw ghööre (to perceive with the ear) · ug ئىشىتمەك (to perceive with the ear) · eu aditu (to perceive sounds through the ear) · wni ukia (to perceive with the ear) · mr ऐकणे (to perceive with the ear) · ru услы́шать (to perceive with the ear) · he שָׁמַע (to perceive sounds through the ear) · it venire a conoscenza (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · mr ऐकणे (to perceive sounds through the ear) · nn høyra (to perceive with the ear) · be чуць (to perceive sounds through the ear) · grk-mar грику́ (to perceive with the ear) · ak te (to perceive with the ear) · yag muS (to perceive sounds through the ear) · fa-ira شِنیدَن (to perceive with the ear) · sv höra (to perceive with the ear) · sh čȕti (to perceive with the ear) · tl marinig (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · ga clois (to perceive with the ear) · uk чу́ти (to perceive with the ear) · de hören (to perceive with the ear) · ang ġehīeran (to perceive with the ear) · egy s-D:F21-m (to perceive with the ear) · ga airigh (to perceive with the ear) · tg шунидан (to perceive with the ear) · nci caqui (to perceive with the ear) · uz eshitib qolmoq (to perceive with the ear) · haw lohe (to perceive with the ear) · crh tuymaq (to perceive with the ear) · bg чу́вам (to perceive sounds through the ear) · be чуць (to perceive with the ear) · za ndaejnyi (to perceive with the ear) · tr işitmek (to perceive with the ear) · xbr rongu (to perceive with the ear) · ro auzi (to perceive sounds through the ear) · es oír (to perceive with the ear) · tr duymak (to perceive with the ear) · sh slȕšati (to perceive with the ear) · sq dëgjon (to perceive with the ear) · ba ишетеү (to perceive sounds through the ear) · cs slyšet (to perceive with the ear) · wa oyî (to perceive with the ear) · sa श्रु (to perceive with the ear) · sh чу̏ти (to perceive with the ear) · ab аҳара (to perceive with the ear) · xbr rongung (to perceive with the ear) · csb czëc (to perceive with the ear) · wyi ngarrnka (to perceive with the ear) · inh хаза (to perceive with the ear) · bho सुनल (to perceive with the ear) · txb klyaus- (to perceive with the ear) · tr işitmek (to perceive sounds through the ear) · bzj hyaa (to perceive with the ear) · ky угуу (to perceive with the ear) · evn до̄лды̄мӣ (to perceive with the ear) · as শুন (to perceive with the ear) · yue 聽到 /听到 (to perceive with the ear) · da høre (to perceive with the ear) · ja 伺う (to perceive with the ear) · scn sèntiri (to perceive with the ear) · lb héieren (to perceive with the ear) · ty faʻaroʻo (to perceive with the ear) · ro auzi (to perceive with the ear) · fr apprendre (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · ltg dzierdēt (to perceive with the ear) · kn ಕೇಳು (to perceive with the ear) · gl oír (to perceive sounds through the ear) · arz سمع (to perceive with the ear) · gd cluinn (to perceive with the ear) · mfe tande (to perceive with the ear) · pdc heere (to perceive sounds through the ear) · bn শোনা (to perceive with the ear) · tzm ⵙⵍⵍ (to perceive with the ear) · ru слы́шать (to perceive sounds through the ear) · es aprender (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · bo གསན (to perceive with the ear) · mww hnov (to perceive with the ear) · fr entendre (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · srn arki (to perceive with the ear) · nmn ta̰ã (to perceive with the ear) · he שָׁמַע (to perceive with the ear) · la audio (to perceive with the ear) · mn сонсох (to perceive with the ear) · fr entendre (to perceive with the ear) · sh слу̏шати (to perceive sounds through the ear) · ca oir (to perceive with the ear) · gl ouvir (to perceive sounds through the ear) · gv clin (to perceive with the ear) · pl słyszeć (to perceive sounds through the ear) · kum эшитмек (to perceive with the ear) · ar سَمِع (to perceive sounds through the ear) · mkz wali (to perceive with the ear) · kmr guh lê bûn (to perceive with the ear) · frr hiire (to perceive with the ear) · swb ukia (to perceive sounds through the ear) · cmn 聽聞 /听闻 (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · sc intendi (to perceive with the ear) · dsb słyšaś (to perceive with the ear) · pl usłyszeć (to perceive with the ear) · uk чу́ти (to perceive sounds through the ear) · ace deungo (to perceive with the ear) · msk dungug (to perceive with the ear) · ka სმენა (to perceive with the ear) · tl marinig (to perceive sounds through the ear) · ppl kaki (to perceive with the ear) · vec sentir (to perceive with the ear) · it udire (to perceive sounds through the ear) · mn дуулах (to perceive with the ear) · chr ᎠᏛᎩᎠ (to perceive with the ear) · shn ယိၼ်း (to perceive with the ear) · wa etinde (to perceive with the ear) · tk eşitmek (to perceive with the ear) · ca sentir (to perceive sounds through the ear) · pt ouvir (to perceive with the ear) · tl marinig (to perceive with the ear) · it venire a sapere (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · ca sentir (to perceive with the ear) · eu entzun (to perceive with the ear) · th ได้ยิน (to perceive with the ear) · qu uyay (to perceive with the ear) · mi rongo (to perceive with the ear) · wa ôre (to perceive with the ear) · kea obi (to perceive sounds through the ear) · km ស្ដាប់ឮ (to perceive with the ear) · ia audir (to perceive with the ear) · id dengar (to perceive with the ear) · mi oko (to perceive with the ear) · gl sentir (to perceive with the ear) · sh slȕšati (to perceive sounds through the ear) · sc intèndhere (to perceive with the ear) · la rescisco (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · tet rona (to perceive with the ear) · pt ficar sabendo (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · lt girdėti (to perceive with the ear) · te విను (to perceive with the ear) · eu entzun (to perceive sounds through the ear) · isd xina (to perceive with the ear) · kmr bîstin (to perceive with the ear) · oc ausir (to perceive with the ear) · ar سَمِعَ (to perceive with the ear) · pox slåisot (to perceive with the ear) · kea uví (To receive information about; to come to learn of) · bo ཁོ (to perceive with the ear) · syl ꠢꠥꠘꠣ (to perceive with the ear)