Immittance
Pronunciation: ih-MIT-ance
A portmanteau umbrella term encompassing both impedance and admittance measurements of the middle ear system, used to describe the test battery that includes tympanometry and acoustic reflex testing.
Full Definition
Immittance is a coined clinical term combining 'impedance' and 'admittance' to describe the collective measurement of middle ear energy transfer properties. It serves as the overarching label for a test battery that typically includes tympanometry, static acoustic admittance, and acoustic reflex threshold measurement. The term was formalised to avoid favouring either impedance or admittance framing and is now widely used in clinical reports and professional guidelines. Editors should treat it as a proper technical compound, not hyphenate it, and should not parse it as two separate words. It is distinct from a single measurement type and always implies a battery of procedures.
Usage
Usage note: Do not hyphenate. Do not substitute 'impedance audiometry,' which is an older and narrower term.
In Context
- "Immittance testing was completed prior to pure-tone audiometry to rule out middle ear pathology." — Audiological evaluation summary
- "The heading 'Immittance Results' should not be replaced with 'Impedance Results,' as the latter is outdated." — Editorial style note for clinical reports