1. a spiral-shaped cavity in the inner ear that contains the organ of hearing
Usage: anatomy

Examples

• The cochlea converts sound vibrations into electrical signals that the brain can interpret.
• Damage to the cochlea can result in hearing loss.
• The doctor explained how the cochlea works during the hearing test.
• Hair cells in the cochlea detect different frequencies of sound.
• A cochlear implant can help people with damaged cochleas hear again.
• The spiral shape of the cochlea resembles a snail shell.