Plain English Meaning
Three small loop-shaped tubes inside your inner ear, each filled with fluid. When your head turns, the fluid sloshes and tells your brain you are rotating.
Full Definition
The three semicircular canals of the inner ear, which are small fluid-filled tubes arranged at right angles to one another. Each canal is a closed loop containing endolymph, a clear fluid that moves in response to head rotation. This fluid movement bends tiny hair cells at the base of each canal, sending signals to the brain about angular acceleration in pitch, roll, and yaw.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of the ear, , and .