palpate

/ˌpælˈpeɪt/

Other forms: palpated; palpating; palpates

To palpate is to examine with the hands, by pressing. Your doctor might palpate your abdomen if you have a pain in your stomach.

You're most likely to come across the verb palpate in a doctor's office or another medical context. A veterinarian will palpate a limping dog to feel for broken bones or tight muscles, and it's common for a doctor to palpate the glands in your neck during a routine exam. The Latin root word is palpatus, which means "to touch."

Definitions of palpate

1. verb

   examine (a body part) by palpation
   “The nurse palpated the patient's stomach”

   synonyms: feel

   feel

   grope or feel in search of something

   type of:

   touch

   make physical contact with, come in contact with