Fremitus
/frəˈmaɪtəs/noun
A palpable vibration transmitted through the body, especially detected during a medical examination.
Did you know?The medical term preserves the sensory world of Latin *fremere*, a verb for beasts, crowds, weapons, or waters making a deep, vibrating roar.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*brem-
“To make a deep humming, roaring, or buzzing sound; reconstructed root”
Ancient Greek
Greek
βρέμω (brémō)
“To roar or thunder”
Classical Latin
Latin
fremere
“To murmur, roar, growl, or make a deep vibrating noise”
Classical Latin
Latin
fremitus
“A roaring, murmuring, or growling sound”
19th Century
Medical Latin/English
fremitus
“A vibration perceived by touch or auscultation during physical examination”
Modern English
English
fremitus
“A palpable bodily vibration, such as chest-wall vibration caused by speech”