The tympanum or tympanic membrane, colloquially known as eardrum, is a thin membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear. Its function is to transmit sound from the air to the ossicles inside the middle ear. The malleus bone connects the eardrum to the other ossicles.

Rupture of the eardrum can occur in infection, trauma (e.g. by trying to clean the ear with sharp instruments), explosion or loud noise. This leads to conductive hearing loss.