ˌȯskəlˈtāshən noun
( -s )
Etymology: Latin auscultation-, auscultatio, from auscultatus (past participle of auscultare to listen, from aus- — akin to Latin auris ear — + -cultare, probably akin to Latin cluēre to be named, be called) + -ion-, -io -ion — more at ear , loud
: the act of listening to sounds arising within organs (as the lungs or heart) as an aid to diagnosis and treatment, the examination being made either by use of the stethoscope or by direct application of the ear to the body