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Medicine vocabulary · History Taking and Examination

Palpate

Meaning in medicine, with examples

/ˈpælpeɪt/verbCommon term

In medicine, palpate means: To examine part of the body by feeling it carefully with the hands or fingers, for example to check the size of an organ or to find a lump.

In Turkish: palpe etmek, elle muayene etmek, yoklamak

How it is used

Used in examination teaching and notes. The noun is palpation and the adjective palpable: 'The liver is palpable 2 cm below the costal margin.' 'Non-palpable' means it cannot be felt.

Example sentences

  1. Palpate the abdomen gently, starting away from where it hurts.

  2. I couldn't palpate the pulse in his left foot.

Common collocations

  • palpate the abdomen
  • palpable mass
  • on palpation
  • palpate for lymph nodes
  • physical examinationThe part of a consultation where the doctor looks at, feels, taps and listens to the patient's body to find signs of disease.
  • tendernessPain or discomfort that appears when a doctor presses on a part of the body during an examination.
  • signEvidence of disease that a doctor can see, feel, hear or measure, such as a rash, a heart murmur or a high temperature, rather than something the patient reports.
  • palpitationsAn unpleasant awareness of your own heartbeat, which may feel fast, strong, irregular or as if it is skipping beats.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: History Taking and Examination

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.