Tympanums

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A structure in the ear that aids in the perception of sound; an architectural feature forming a triangular space above a door or window; a type of membrane that vibrates in response to sound waves
2. An anatomical component that plays a role in hearing; a decorated panel often positioned above an entryway; a biological membrane crucial for sound transmission
3. A part of the auditory system essential for hearing; an element of classical architecture that embellishes entrances; a flexible tissue responsible for converting sound energy into mechanical signals

Etymology: "Tympanums" is the plural of "tympanum," a word English borrowed directly from Latin, where "tympanum" meant a drum, a timbrel or tambourine, and also the eardrum. The Latin word came from Greek "tympanon," a drumlike instrument, and the same root gave English its cousins "timbre," "timpani," "timbal" and "tymbal." These are doublets: words that share an origin but reached English by different routes, so the musical and anatomical senses sit side by side in one family. The architectural sense is the one that carries the meaning furthest from the drum. The triangular or semicircular space enclosed by a pediment, or above a doorway, was given the same name because its flat, taut surface resembled a stretched drumhead. The ear's membrane was named for the same resemblance, since it is stretched across the canal and vibrates like the skin of a drum, the anatomical sense that is most familiar to modern readers.