earring

earring
earringed, adj.
/ear"ring', -ing/, n.
an ornament worn on or hanging from the lobe of the ear.
[bef. 1000; ME erering, OE earhring. See EAR1, RING1]

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      a personal ornament worn pendent from the ear, usually suspended by means of a ring or hook passing through a pierced hole in the lobe of the ear or, in modern times, often by means of a screwed clip on the lobe. The impulse to decorate or to modify the appearance of the ear seems to be almost universal. In general, usage appears to call for wearing earrings in pairs, the two ornaments in all respects resembling each other; but a single earring has sometimes been worn. (The single earring was especially popular in Europe during the Renaissance and Baroque period.)

      In the Orient, earrings historically were worn by both sexes; in the West (including ancient Israel and Egypt) as a general rule, they were considered to be exclusively female ornaments. Among the Greeks and Romans earrings were worn only by women, and the practice of men wearing them often is spoken of in classical literature as a distinctly Oriental (i.e., Middle Eastern) trait.

      In the tombs of the Greek settlers on the Crimean Peninsula (4th century BC), earrings of marvelous complexity and beauty were found. Jewels of the same class, of exquisite beauty and workmanship, were found in the sepulchres of ancient Etruria. Earrings of comparatively simple forms, but set with pearls and other stones, were the mode in Rome.

      In Europe, earrings tended to go out of fashion when the wig, coiffure, or headdress obscured the ears, as in the late 17th and 18th centuries. Use of these ornaments continued to be unfashionable in Europe and the Americas during the 19th century but were revived again in the 20th, especially with the introduction of clipping devices. Simplified painless methods of piercing the ears led to the renewed popularity of pierced earrings.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Earring — Ear ring , n. An ornament consisting of a ring passed through the lobe of the ear, with or without a pendant. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • earring — (n.) O.E. earhring, from EAR (Cf. ear) (1) + hring (see RING (Cf. ring) (n.)). Also earspinl. Now including any sort of ornament in the ear; the pendants were originally ear drops (1720). The two groups which had formerly a near monopoly on male… …   Etymology dictionary

  • earring — ► NOUN ▪ a piece of jewellery worn on the lobe or edge of the ear …   English terms dictionary

  • earring — [ir′riŋ΄, ir′iŋ] n. a ring or other small ornament for the lobe of the ear, either passed through a hole pierced in the lobe or fastened with a screw or clip …   English World dictionary

  • Earring — Infobox Piercing name = Earring nicknames = image size = 200px image capt = 1) Helix/Cartilage, 2) Industrial, 3) Rook, 4) Daith, 5) Tragus, 6) Snug, 7) Conch, 8) Anti Tragus, 9) Lobe location = Ear jewelry = Captive bead ring, barbell, circular… …   Wikipedia

  • earring */ — UK [ˈɪərɪŋ] / US [ˈɪrɪŋ] noun [countable] Word forms earring : singular earring plural earrings a piece of jewellery that you wear on your ear …   English dictionary

  • earring — noun a) A piece of jewelry worn on the ear. b) earring. A piece of jewelry worn on the ear …   Wiktionary

  • earring — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ drop, hoop, stud ▪ clip on ▪ chandelier (AmE), dangly ▪ diamond, pearl …   Collocations dictionary

  • Earring Magic Ken — in 1993 as a companion to its Earring Magic Barbie figure, one of six dolls in the Earring Magic Barbie line. [cite book last =Jones first =Amelia authorlink = coauthors = title =The Feminism and Visual Culture Reader publisher =Routledge date… …   Wikipedia

  • earring — noun Date: before 12th century an ornament for the ear and especially the earlobe …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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