# hear

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈhɪə/ · frequency rank #588

## Definitions
1. To perceive sounds through the ear.
2. To perceive (a sound, or something producing a sound) with the ear, to recognize (something) in an auditory way.
3. To exercise this faculty intentionally; to listen to.
4. To listen favourably to; to grant (a request etc.).
5. To receive information about; to come to learn of.
6. To be contacted by.
7. To listen to (a person, case) in a court of law; to try.
8. To sympathize with; to understand the feelings or opinion of.
9. To study under.

## Etymology
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 heren, from Old English hīeran (“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 Saterland Frisian heere (“to hear”), West Frisian hearre (“to hear”), Dutch horen (“to hear”), German hören (“to hear”), Danish and Norwegian Bokmål høre (“to hear”), Norwegian Nynorsk høyra (“to hear”), Swedish höra (“to hear”), Icelandic heyra (“to hear”), Ancient Greek ἀκούω (akoúō, “I hear”).

## Easily confused with
- **HR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hear-vs-hr)
- **her** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hear-vs-her)
- **hey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hear-vs-hey)
- **hes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hear-vs-hes)
- **heh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hear-vs-heh)
- **hen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hear-vs-hen)
- **hee** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hear-vs-hee)
- **hem** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hear-vs-hem)
- **hua** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hear-vs-hua)
- **het** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hear-vs-het)
- **hoa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hear-vs-hoa)
- **Hel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hear-vs-hel)
- **Hur** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hear-vs-hur)
- **hep** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hear-vs-hep)
- **HPA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hear-vs-hpa)
- **hed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hear-vs-hed)
- **HSA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hear-vs-hsa)
- **hor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hear-vs-hor)
- **hew** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hear-vs-hew)
- **here** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hear-vs-here)

## Common misspellings (4)
`ehar`, `haer`, `hearr`, `hhear`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/hear