Meaning & use
ear cuff
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A ring or clip of jewelry worn on the outer edge of the ear, usually without a piercing.
Grammar: Countable: one ear cuff, two ear cuffs. Often used in the plural to refer to a pair or a set.
Patterns
- wear an ear cuff
- put on an ear cuff
She wore a silver ear cuff on her left ear.
Ear cuffs are popular because you don't need a piercing to wear them.
He bought a set of gold ear cuffs for his girlfriend.
Word forms
| plural | ear cuffs |
|---|
Common combinations
- gold ear cuff
- She wore a delicate gold ear cuff to the party.
- silver ear cuff
- He gave her a silver ear cuff as a birthday present.
- wear an ear cuff
- You can wear an ear cuff on either ear.
- adjustable ear cuff
- This adjustable ear cuff fits most people.
Synonyms and how they differ
- earring
- An earring usually goes through a hole in the earlobe, while an ear cuff clips onto the ear.
- ear wrap
- An ear wrap is similar but often wraps around the whole ear.
Word family
Commonly confused: ear cuff or earmuff?
ear cuff vs earmuff
Earmuffs are worn over the ears to keep them warm or to block noise, not as jewelry.
Practice
What is an ear cuff?
Choose one answer.
An ear cuff is jewelry that clips onto the ear and does not require a piercing. Earmuffs keep ears warm, headphones play sound, and medical devices are not called ear cuffs.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “ear cuff”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.