percuss

verb

per·​cuss pər-ˈkəs How to pronounce percuss (audio)
percussed; percussing; percusses

transitive verb

: to tap sharply
especially : to practice percussion on

Word History

Etymology

Latin percussus, past participle of percutere

First Known Use

1575, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of percuss was in 1575

Dictionary Entries Near percuss

percurrent

percuss

percussion

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Percuss.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/percuss. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.

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Medical Definition

percuss

transitive verb
per·​cuss pər-ˈkəs How to pronounce percuss (audio)
: to tap sharply
especially : to practice percussion on
percuss all four quadrants of the abdomen before starting palpation —Herrick Peterson

intransitive verb

: to percuss a body part
percussing with the ends of our fingers over the lungs—Robert Chawner
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