Aus'cul-tā'tion, n.

n. [Lat. auscultatio, from auscultare, to listen, contr. from ausicultare, from ausicula, for auricula, dim. of auris. See AURICLE. Cf. Gr. οὖς, ὠς, ὠός, Lat. auris, ear.]

1. The act of listening or hearkening to. Hickes.
2. (Med.) A method of distinguishing diseases, particularly in the thorax, by observing the sounds in the part, generally by means of a stethoscope.