What does the acronym NTE stand for in audiometric testing?

The acronym NTE stands for Non-Test Ear in the context of audiometric testing. This term refers to the ear that is not being evaluated during a hearing assessment. When conducting audiometric tests, it is critical to focus on one ear, the Test Ear (TE), while monitoring the other ear, the NTE, to understand how hearing is affected in the selected ear. The distinction allows audiologists to measure thresholds accurately without the influence of sound being perceived by the NTE. This concept is particularly important in various testing scenarios, including when masking is required to ensure that the test results are valid.