Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

cloth-eared

/ˌklɔθˈɪ(ə)ɹd/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 2.81 in modern English

Syllables
cloth-eared
IPA
/ˌklɔθˈɪ(ə)ɹd/
16
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
2
Syllables
9
Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Not hearing clearly.

British usage; Dated; Derogatory; Informal

adj

Failing to pay attention.

British usage; Dated; Derogatory; Informal

Etymology

From the fact that ears made of cloth (for example, belonging to a stuffed toy) cannot hear.

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˌklɔθˈɪ(ə)ɹd/
  • British English: /ˌklɒθˈɪəd/

Usage

Inflected Forms

more cloth-eared (comparative) most cloth-eared (superlative)

Phrases

cloth-ears cock a deaf 'un tin ear

Frequently Paired Words

cloth-ears cock a deaf 'un tin ear

Synonyms

deaf hard of hearing inattentive

Antonyms

attentive

Rhymes With

weird disappeared cleared beard feared bee beard geared cheered revered interfered tiered smeared

Questions

How do you pronounce cloth-eared?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˌklɔθˈɪ(ə)ɹd/.
What does cloth-eared mean?
Not hearing clearly.
Where does cloth-eared come from?
From the fact that ears made of cloth (for example, belonging to a stuffed toy) cannot hear.

How to pronounce cloth-eared

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “cloth-eared”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌklɔθˈɪ(ə)ɹd/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “cloth-eared”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “cloth-eared” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.