/aw'skeuhl tay"sheuhn/ , n.
Med. the act of listening, either directly or through a stethoscope or other instrument, to sounds within the body as a method of diagnosis.
[ 1625-35; auscultation- (s. of auscultatio ) a listening, attending to, equiv. to auscultat ( us ) listened to (ptp. of auscultare; aus- (var. s. of auris ear) + -culta- of uncert. sense and orig. + -tus ptp. suffix) + -ion- -ION ]