internal ear: Meaning and Definition of

inter'nal ear'

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. the inner portion of the ear, involved in hearing and balance, consisting of a bony labyrinth that is composed of a vestibule, semicircular canals, and a cochlea and that encloses a membranous labyrinth. Cf. ear (def. 1). See diag. under.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.