Auscultation
Auscultation ({not transcribed}) , noun
[Latin ausculcatio, from auscultare to listen, from a dim. of auris, orig. ausis, ear. See Auricle, and compare Scout, n.]
1.
The act of listening or hearkening to. — Hickes
2.
(Medicine) An examination by listening either directly with the ear (immediate auscultation) applied to parts of the body, as the abdomen; or with the stethoscope (mediate auscultation), in order to distinguish sounds recognized as a sign of health or of disease.