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Definition of palpate
palpated
;palpating
transitive verb
: to examine by touch especially medically
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palpate was our Word of the Day on 12/22/2013. Hear the podcast!
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Examples of palpate in a Sentence
The doctor palpated his ribs to see if there was any tenderness.
Recent Examples of palpate from the Web
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On Friday afternoon, using blue chalk paint, Stacy Levy plans to palpate a few sidewalks on the Upper East Side of Manhattan to visualize the path of a stream, now out of sight, that has been running since ancient times.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'palpate'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
Palpate has been part of the English language since at least the mid-19th century. It was probably coined from the preexisting noun form palpation, which itself traces back to the Latin verb palpare, meaning "to stroke or caress." Other descendants of palpare in English include palpable, palpitate, and the verb palp. Even feel itself is a distant cousin of palpitate, as both words can be linked to the same ancient root word that gave Latin palpare.
Origin and Etymology of palpate
probably back-formation from palpation, from Latin palpation-, palpatio, from palpare
PALPATE Defined for English Language Learners
palpate
playDefinition of palpate for English Language Learners
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medical : to examine (part of the body) by touching it
Medical Dictionary
Learn More about palpate
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See words that rhyme with palpate Britannica English: Translation of palpate for Arabic speakers
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