ear budn.1
/ˈɪə bʌd/, U.S. /ˈɪ(ə)r ˌbəd/ Agriculture and Botany (originally and chiefly U.S.).
An ear of maize at an early stage of development (typically prior to pollination), in which it is covered by several layers of leaves and is tightly pressed to the stem.
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the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular food plant or plant product > cereal, corn, or grain > [noun] > maize > head, cob, ear, or inflorescence
tassel1646
roasting ear1651
nubbin1692
grappe1693
cob1702
corn-cob1787
spike1800
ear leaf1835
maize ear1855
tucket1874
ear bud1901
1901 Nebraska State Jrnl. 23 Aug. 3/6 All the reserve strength was thrown into the development of tassel and ear buds, but the result was melancholy to behold.
1961 Bot. Gaz. 123 112/1 The stem, with unelongated internodes, was short, and ear buds were not yet apparent.
2003 Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota) (Nexis) 13 Aug. h10 The wind-borne pollen must reach the silks, which are the threadlike structures that protrude from the ear bud.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2015; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
ear budn.2
/ˈɪə bʌd/, U.S. /ˈɪ(ə)r ˌbəd/ 1. An incompletely formed ear, esp. during embryonic and fetal development.
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the world > life > biology > biological processes > procreation or reproduction > embryo or fetus > embryo parts > [noun] > others
gubernaculum1762
Wolffian ridge1874
gill pouch1882
pneogaster1890
telopore1890
spindle1898
hand plate1901
ear bud1905
dermatome1910
1905 Trans. Otol. Soc. 9 195 There is..a progressive protrusion from the side of the head accompanied by what Schwalbe has called ‘the blossoming of the ear-bud’.
1968 Chicago Tribune 12 Dec. iii. b19/1 One of the kittens had four well-developed ears and the others each had two ‘ear buds’.
2004 A. Kurjak Atlas 3D & 4D Sonogr. Obstetr. & Gynecol. 82/1 The ear buds make their first appearance in the 8–11-mm embryo.
2. colloquial. Probably: an earlobe. rare.
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the world > life > the body > external parts of body > head > face > ear > [noun] > flap or lobe
lapc1000
ear-lapOE
list1530
lippet1598
lug1602
lappet1609
handle1615
libbet1627
auricle1650
flip-flop1661
pinna1682
helix1684
lobe1719
earlobea1785
ear flap1810
leaf1819
shell1831
pavilion1842
ear bud1953
1953 Oakland (Calif.) Tribune 20 May d43/1 Two willing boys can make the blood flow and the ear buds turn into cauliflowers for 10 atavistic rounds.
3. A small earphone in which the speaker is typically housed in a bud-like protuberance designed to rest in the ear. Frequently in plural.
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the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > audibility > sound magnification or reproduction > [noun] > earphone(s)
earpiece1853
earphone1881
headphone1882
phone1884
ear bud1983
1983 Billboard 26 Feb. 50/4 The new tiny headphones, or earbuds, were singled out by Balthaser and Sloane.
1994 N. Baker Fermata vi. 74 Writing is solitary enough (especially the way I'm writing now, which is with a set of earbuds in, listening to music).
2005 Financial Times 21 Sept. (Special report section) 4/6 The headset itself is an earbud on a wire.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2015; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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