Definition

Damage to the inner ear caused by harmful substances, which can affect hearing and balance.

Example

Certain medications can lead to ototoxicity, resulting in hearing loss.

Conversation

I read an article about ototoxicity and its effects on hearing.

Oh really? What did it say about it?

It mentioned that certain medications can cause ototoxicity over time.

That's interesting! I had no idea some drugs could be that damaging.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Ototoxicity is formed from "oto-" (from Greek "ous, otos", meaning ear) and "toxic" (from Greek "toxikon", meaning poison). The term refers to the property of being poisonous to the ear, particularly affecting hearing and balance.

Memory Tip

Think of 'oto-' as relating to the 'ear' and 'toxic' as meaning 'poisonous'. This helps you remember that ototoxicity refers to something that is harmful to the ear.

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