Slangora

hearie

Slang used within Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities to refer to a hearing person — someone without hearing loss who communicates primarily through spoken language.

ˈhɪə.ɹi203 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🗺️ Regional & Other
2 definitions
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Definitions

#1·Apr 28, 2026

Slang used within Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities to refer to a hearing person — someone without hearing loss who communicates primarily through spoken language. The term is an informal, community-internal shorthand that can carry neutral, affectionate, or mildly othering connotations depending on context and speaker. It sits alongside similar terms like hearing person or oral, helping Deaf communities name the hearing world on their own terms.

She'd been the only hearie at the Deaf social and came away wanting to learn more BSL.
Origin: Formed simply from hearing with the colloquial -ie suffix, used within Deaf community spaces as a plain, informal label for non-deaf individuals. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora (model-assisted, hedged).
For parents

Hearie means: Slang used within Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities to refer to a hearing person - someone without hearing loss who communicates primarily through spoken language. The term is an informal,. It is informal slang, fine in casual speech but not suited to formal contexts. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.

For ESL learners

hearie means: Slang used within Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities to refer to a hearing person - someone without hearing loss who communicates primarily through spoken language. The term. Register: very informal, slang. Suitable only for casual conversation, chat and social media. Do not use in business, academic or news writing. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.

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#2·Apr 27, 2026

(slang) A hearing person.

Cluster: general
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For specific readers

Hearie means: Slang used within Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities to refer to a hearing person - someone without hearing loss who communicates primarily through spoken language. The term is an informal,. It is informal slang, fine in casual speech but not suited to formal contexts. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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🗺️About Regional & Other slang

Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.

See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.

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