PRONUNCIATION:

(AW-skuhl-tayt) 

MEANING:

verb tr. To listen to the sounds made by internal organs (heart, lungs, etc.) to aid in the diagnosis.

ETYMOLOGY:

Back-formation from auscultation, from auscultare (to listen). Ultimately from the Indo-European root ous- (ear) which is also the source of ear, aural, and scout. Earliest documented use: 1862; auscultation is from 1634.

USAGE:

“A Chinese official has been jailed for two years for deserting a sick beggar in a neighboring county and causing the man’s death. … In his defence, Chen said he had asked a general practitioner to auscultate him before the man was sent away. The doctor said his heart beat was normal.”
Chinese Official Jailed; Xinhua News Agency (Beijing, China); Dec 6, 2007.