Auscultate
/ˈɔː.skəl.teɪt/noun
To examine the internal sounds of the body, usually with a stethoscope.
Did you know?The medical sense became especially important after René Laennec introduced the stethoscope in 1816, transforming auscultation into a formal diagnostic practice.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂ews-
“Ear; to perceive or hear”
Proto-Italic
PIE
*ausis
“Ear”
Classical Latin
Latin
auris
“Ear”
Classical Latin
Latin
auscultāre
“To listen attentively; to give ear”
17th Century
English
auscultate
“To listen to bodily sounds as a medical examination”
19th Century
English
auscultation
“Medical examination by listening, especially with a stethoscope”
Modern English
English
auscultate
“To examine the body by listening to its internal sounds”