Term Name: | ear |
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Synonyms: | auditory apparatus, auris |
Definition: | Sense organ in vertebrates that is specialized for the detection of sound, and the maintenance of balance. Includes the outer ear and middle ear, which collect and transmit sound waves; and the inner ear, which contains the organs of balance and (except in fish) hearing. Also includes the pinna, the visible part of the outer ear, present in some mammals. |
Ontology: | Cell Ontology [UBERON:0001690] |