earring

earring — noun

1. a small item that people wear on their ears. Some earrings go through a small op

1.nounA2
Definition

a small item that people wear on their ears. Some earrings go through a small opening in the ear, and others press onto the ear without an opening.

Example

Leila wore small gold earrings to her friend's birthday party.

collocation: gold earrings / silver earrings

Ravi's new earring was a tiny silver hoop that caught the light.

collocation: hoop earring / stud earring

Common collocations
  • gold / silver / diamond / pearl earrings
  • hoop / stud / dangle / clip-on earrings
  • wear / put on / take off earrings
  • lose / find / buy a pair of earrings
  • pierced ears / clip-on earrings
Synonyms
  • ear stud

    a small earring that sits flat on the ear with a post through the ear

  • hoop earring

    an earring shaped like a circle or curved loop

  • dangle earring

    an earring that hangs down below the ear

  • clip-on earring

    an earring that attaches by pressing onto the ear, without needing a hole

Usage Note

Because people usually wear one earring on each ear, the plural form (earrings) is much more common than the singular. You can say a pair of earrings when referring to a matching set of two.

Common Mistakes

I bought a new earring yesterday.' (when referring to a matching set for both ears).
I bought a new pair of earrings yesterday.
Use 'a pair of earrings' when the two earrings match and are sold or worn together.

Word family

  • ear
    nounA1
  • pierced
    adjectiveB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

An earring is the general term for any jewellery worn on the ear. An ear stud is a small, flat earring that sits directly on the earlobe with a post going through the ear — it is the most common and understated style. A hoop earring forms a complete or partial circle and can range from tiny (huggy hoops) to large. A dangle earring hangs below the ear and moves when the wearer moves; it is usually more noticeable and often dressier. A clip-on earring attaches by a spring or screw clip rather than a post through a pierced hole, which makes it a good choice for people without pierced ears. When choosing between these, consider whether your ears are pierced (studs and hoops require pierced ears, while clip-ons do not) and how much movement or visibility you want.

earring ↗ear studhoop earringdangle earringclip-on earring

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • a pair of earrings
  • a set of earrings
  • clip-on earrings
  • pierced earrings

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word earring comes from the Old English words ēare (ear) and hring (ring). It originally meant a ring worn on the ear, and over time came to describe any jewellery worn there, not just ring-shaped pieces.