palpate

¹ American  

[pal-peyt] / ˈpæl peɪt /

verb (used with object)

palpated, palpating

1. to examine by touch, especially for the purpose of diagnosing disease or illness.

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palpate ² American  

[pal-peyt] / ˈpæl peɪt /

adjective

Zoology.

1. having a palpus or palpi. palpus.

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palpate ¹ British  

/ ˈpælpeɪt /

verb

1. (tr) med to examine (an area of the body) by the sense of touch and pressure

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palpate ² British  

/ ˈpælpeɪt /

adjective

1. zoology of, relating to, or possessing a palp or palps

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Other Word Forms

• palpation noun
• palpatory adjective

Etymology

Origin of palpate¹

First recorded in 1840–50; from Latin palpātus, past participle of palpāre “to stroke, touch”; palpus, -ate ¹

Origin of palpate²

First recorded in 1855–60; palp(us) + -ate ¹

Example Sentences

For centuries, doctors have used their hands as essential diagnostic tools -- exploring joints and palpating abdomens to assess a patient's health.

From Science Daily

As he writes: “It wasn’t just people nervously palpating their glands every 10 minutes.”

From New York Times

A video features a couple of Kardashian-Jenners palpating a wall illuminated by blinking neon tube lights.

From New York Times

He was gently palpating my foot to see what points made me yelp, while introducing the topic of gratitude into the conversation.

From New York Times

She palpated the lymph nodes under his neck and arms, down his torso, and checked his scars for healing, while the three of us waited for the scan images to appear on her computer.

From Washington Post