Outer ear

There are three sections of the ear: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. The outer ear looks complicated but it is functionally the simplest part of the ear. It consists of the pinna or auricle (the visible projecting portion of the ear), the external acoustic meatus (the outside opening to the ear canal), and the external ear canal that leads to the ear drum. In sum, there is the pinna, the meatus and the canal. That's all. The outer ear concentrates air vibrations on the ear drum and makes the drum vibrate. The outer ear is also called the external ear.

* * *

out·er ear 'au̇t-ər- n the outer visible portion of the ear that collects and directs sound waves toward the tympanic membrane by way of a canal which extends inward through the temporal bone

* * *

the pinna and the external auditory meatus of the ear.

* * *

auris externa.