What does earmuffs mean?
Word: Earmuffs
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Earmuffs means soft coverings worn over both ears, either to keep them warm in cold weather or to shut out loud noise.
Word origin: An English compound word, not borrowed from another language.
How do you spell earmuffs?
Syllables: ear - muffs
Tricky part: Children often write a single f, but the last part of the word has two before the s.
Watch out for: earmufs, earmuffes
Memory tip: Think of fluffy: soft, warm and spelt with a double f, just like the cosy part that covers each ear.
Earmuffs in a sentence
Example 1: Dhruv wore earmuffs on the chilly morning walk in Shimla.
Example 2: Factory workers near loud machines wear earmuffs to protect their hearing.
Example 3: My sister's earmuffs are pink and very fluffy.
Fun Fact
An American teenager, Chester Greenwood, was granted a patent for his improved earmuffs in 1877, and his home town in Maine still holds a yearly celebration in his honour.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Fusion
Choose the two parts that join to make a word:
1. eer 2. scarf 3. muffs 4. air 5. ear 6. mitts
a) 4 and 6
b) 1 and 3
c) 5 and 3
d) 5 and 2
Show answer
c) 5 and 3. The part that covers your ears joins the soft, warm part.
Sound Check
In which word is 'ear' pronounced differently?
a) earmuffs
b) earring
c) early
d) earphones
Show answer
c) early. Early has the er sound of bird. In the others, the letters sound like the ear on your head.
Spell Spies
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) cardigan
b) ballaclava
c) earmuffs
d) pullover
Show answer
b) ballaclava. Balaclava has a single l after its first a.
Word Puzzle
Match the words with their meanings:
1. earmuffs 2. mittens 3. galoshes a. gloves that keep the four fingers together and the thumb apart b. a curved band with a warm pad at each end c. rubber covers pulled over shoes to keep them dry
a) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
b) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
c) 1-a, 2-b, 3-c
d) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
Show answer
b) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c. Mittens are for hands and galoshes are for feet, which leaves the band with pads.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. In which place would earmuffs be most useful?
a) a sunny tea garden in Kerala
b) a heated swimming pool in Delhi
c) a warm sandy beach in Goa
d) a snowy mountain pass in Ladakh
Show answer
d) a snowy mountain pass in Ladakh
2. Sahil puts on earmuffs while his neighbour is drilling into a wall. What is he most likely trying to do?
a) keep his hair neat and tidy
b) warm up his cold fingers
c) hear the drill more clearly
d) cut down the noise reaching him
Show answer
d) cut down the noise reaching him
