cauliflower ear

noun

: an ear deformed from injury and excessive growth of reparative tissue

Examples of cauliflower ear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Both of these certainly contribute to Bloom’s metamorphosis, as his cauliflower ear and the nicks in his buzz-cut hair and above his eyebrow tell their own story about the punishment he’s taken. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 8 Sep. 2024 Bloom is the center of the drama, his handsome leading man visage transformed by prosthetics that give him a broken nose, cauliflower ears, and a pugilist's demeanor. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 6 Sep. 2024 Besides Stallone and Statham, the sole returning original cast members are Dolph Lundgren (rocking the kind of hairdo any self-respecting scarecrow would reject) and Randy Couture, the butt of far too many cauliflower ear jokes. Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 Laverne, the only female wrestler of her day with a cauliflower ear, threw her challenger out of the ring. Mike Klingaman, Baltimore Sun, 27 June 2023 At his door stood the man with the cauliflower ears and neck tattoo of a swastika. The Oregonian/oregonlive, OregonLive.com, 30 Apr. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cauliflower ear.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1904, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cauliflower ear was in 1904

Dictionary Entries Near cauliflower ear

Cite this Entry

“Cauliflower ear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cauliflower%20ear. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Medical Definition

cauliflower ear

noun
cau·​li·​flow·​er ear ˌkȯ-li-ˌflau̇(-ə)r-, ˌkäl-i- How to pronounce cauliflower ear (audio)
: an ear deformed from injury and excessive growth of reparative tissue

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