aur
aur — abbreviation
1. a short written form of the Latin word 'aurum', meaning gold; found mainly in ol
a short written form of the Latin word 'aurum', meaning gold; found mainly in old scientific and medical texts to indicate the element gold
A Roman coin from the first century bore the letters AV, an early version of aur for gold.
historical register: used in ancient inscriptions
Mira found the abbreviation aur in a 17th-century medical recipe for gold-based fever treatment.
Early pharmacists wrote aur on prescriptions for gold-based medicines such as gold salts.
The museum catalogue listed the necklace as containing aur, alongside copper and silver.
Historians found the symbol aur stamped on Roman coins to certify their gold purity.
- Au
the modern two-letter chemical symbol for gold, used in the periodic table and formulas; more common than aur
用法筆記
The abbreviation aur is almost never used in modern everyday English. Contemporary chemistry uses the symbol Au (from the same Latin root) in the periodic table and chemical formulas. Learners are more likely to encounter Au than aur.
常見錯誤
aur — combining form
1. a prefix from Latin that means 'ear' or 'relating to the ear'; used at the start
a prefix from Latin that means 'ear' or 'relating to the ear'; used at the start of technical and medical words connected to hearing or the structure of the ear
During music school, Rohan's aural training helped him identify different notes and chords by ear.
combining form aur- appears in 'aural' (relating to hearing)
The auricle, or outer ear, collects sound waves and directs them into the ear canal.
The doctor used an auriscope to look inside young Yasmin's ear for signs of infection.
At the hearing clinic, Eve used a special headset designed for aural examinations.
Tamás read about auricular acupuncture, where tiny needles are placed on the outer ear.
用法筆記
This combining form appears most often in medical, anatomical, and audiological vocabulary. Learners of general English are more likely to encounter 'ear' or 'hearing' as standalone words. Common derived words include aural (relating to hearing), auricle (the outer part of the ear), auriscope (a medical tool for examining the ear), and auricular (relating to the ear or its shape).
常見錯誤
2. a combining form used before a hyphen and another adjective to create a compound
a combining form used before a hyphen and another adjective to create a compound that describes something involving hearing together with another ability, such as speaking, seeing, or touching
The language school offers an aural-oral programme that trains students to listen and speak in French.
aural-oral — compound combining hearing + speaking
Ritu's preschool uses aural-visual materials such as picture books with recorded story audio.
In an aural-oral exam, students listen to a recording and then speak their answers aloud.
The museum created an aural-tactile tour where visitors hear sounds while touching objects.
Liam preferred aural-visual lessons because he remembers information better when he sees and hears it.
- audio-
a more common Greek-derived prefix for hearing (as in audio-visual); aur- is the Latin-derived equivalent and is less common
文法句型
aur- + hyphen + adjective (aural-oral, aural-visual)
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1 (which creates words about the ear itself), this sense forms hyphenated compound adjectives such as aural-oral (hearing and speaking) and aural-visual (hearing and sight). These terms appear mainly in educational, linguistic, and therapeutic contexts.