tinnit-, tintinnabu-, tintinnabul-

(Latin: to ring, to jingle; formed by reduplication (for the sake of emphasis) from the base of Latin tinnire, which is of imitative origin.)

clicking tinnitus (s) (noun), clicking tinnituses (pl)
A short or snapping sound in the ear, or ears, that are usually repetitive and sometimes demonstrable by amplifying and recording techniques: The clicking tinnituses may be caused from the contractions of the intra-tympanic muscles or eardrums.
objective tinnitus (s) (noun), objective tinnituses (pl)
A sound which can be heard by other people, either directly or with the aid of an auscultation tube or an electronic amplification: The objective tinnitus usually originates from muscular or vascular vessels in the body that conduct and circulate fluids.
tinnitus (ti NIGH tuhs) (s) (noun), tinnituses (pl)
1. Ringing in the ears or another noise that seems to originate in the ears or the head.
2. A sound in one ear or both ears; such as, buzzing, ringing, or whistling, occurring without an external stimulus and usually caused by a specific condition.

More details about tinnituses

Tinnitus is due to diverse causes including ear infections, fluid in the ears, Ménière syndrome, medications; such as, aspirin and other nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), aging, and ear trauma from the noise of planes, firearms, or loud music.

In rare situations, tinnitus may reflect an aneurysm or an acoustic neuroma (a benign tumor on the acoustic nerve).

Woodwind players are more likely to experience tinnitus than other orchestral players, probably because they usually sit just in front of the brass.

What is tinnitus?

  • Tinnitus is a ringing, swishing, or other type of noise that seems to originate in the ear or head.
  • In many cases tinnitus is not a serious problem, but rather a nuisance that may in time go away.
  • Tinnitus is not a single disease, but a symptom of an underlying condition.
  • In almost all cases, only the patient can hear the noise.

What causes tinnitus?

  • Tinnitus can arise in any of the four sections of the ear: the outer ear, the middle ear, the inner ear, and in the brain.
  • Some tinnitus or head noise is normal; if for example, someone goes into a sound proof booth and normal outside noise is diminished, one becomes aware of these normal sounds.
  • People are usually not aware of these normal body sounds, because outside noise "masks" them.
  • Anything, such as wax or a foreign body in the external ear, that blocks these background sounds will cause a person to be more aware of his or her own head sounds.
  • Fluid, infection, or disease of the middle ear bones or ear drum (tympanic membrane) can also cause tinnitus.
  • One of the most common causes of tinnitus is damage to the microscopic endings of the hearing nerve in the inner ear.
  • Advancing age is generally accompanied by a certain amount of hearing nerve impairment, and consequently tinnitus.
  • Loud noise exposure is a very common cause of tinnitus today, and it often damages hearing as well.
  • Unfortunately, many people are unconcerned about the harmful effects of excessively loud noise, firearms, and high intensity music.
  • Some medications (aspirin, for example) and other diseases of the inner ear (Ménière's syndrome) can cause tinnitus.
  • Tinnitus can in rare situations be a symptom of such serious problems as an aneurysm or a brain tumor (acoustic tumor).
—Essentially compiled from information located in
The American Medical Association Home Medical Encyclopedia;
Volume Two, I-Z; Random House; New York; 1989; page 989.
tinnitus aurium (s) (noun) (no plural form available)
Ringing, tinkling, buzzing, or other sounds in the ear; found in certain diseases of the exterior, middle, or inner ear: Tinnitus aurium may be caused by impacted cerumen, myringitis, otitis media, labyrinthitis, Ménière's symptom complex, otosclerosis, or hysteria.
tinnitus cerebri (s) (noun) (no plural)
1. A sound which seems to be inside the head rather than in the ears.
2. Noise that exists in one or both ears as a result of a disease of the brain.
tintamarre (s) (noun), tintamarres (pl)
A confused noise or clamor.
tintinnabular (adjective), more tintinnabular, most tintinnabular
Related to, or connected with, bells.
tintinnabulary (adjective), more tintinnabulary, most tintinnabulary
Of or relating to bells or characterized by the ringing of bells or their sounds.
tintinnabulate (verb), tintinnabulates; tintinnabulated; tintinnabulating
To ring, to tinkle, or to sound like a small bell.
tintinnabulation (s) (noun), tintinnabulations (pl)
1. The ringing of bells.
2. The sound of a bell ringing.
tintinnabulous (adjective), more tintinnabulous, most tintinnabulous
1. Pertaining to, or resembling, the tinkling of a bell.
2. Descriptive of a tinkling sound.
tintinnabulum (s) (noun), tintinnabula (pl)
1. A ringing, jingle, or tinkle.
2. A small, tinkling bell.
3. A small bell with a high clear ring.