audient

Audient is a noun meaning a person who hears or listens, especially in a directed or formal sense. It contrasts with "audience," which refers to the group of listeners, and with "listener," which is a more general term for someone who attends to sound or speech. The term can also function as an adjective meaning relating to hearing or listening, akin to "auditory."

Etymology derives from Latin audire, meaning to hear, with development through Old French into English. In historical usage, "audient" appeared more frequently, but in contemporary English it is relatively rare outside specialized or literary contexts.

Usage notes indicate that everyday language more commonly uses "listener" or "audience." "Audient" is typically found in ecclesiastical, legal, ceremonial, or academic prose to designate a single attendee of a hearing or audience. It may also be employed for stylistic effect in literature to convey formality or precision. The adjective form remains uncommon; writers often prefer "auditory" or simple constructions like "relating to listening" when describing related phenomena.

See also: audience, listener, hearer, auditory.