stethoscope

noun

stetho·​scope ˈste-thə-ˌskōp 

also

-t͟hə- 

: a medical instrument for detecting sounds produced in the body that are conveyed to the ears of the listener through rubber tubing connected with a piece placed upon the area to be examined

stethoscopic

ˌste-thə-ˈskä-pik 

 also  -t͟hə-

adjective

Examples of stethoscope in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As if a Holiday Inn guest had just been handed a stethoscope ahead of surgery. —Tribune News Service, Orange County Register, 17 Oct. 2024

Many of the offerings left behind decorate Cuba’s ivory-colored shrine with soaring red domes: college diplomas, crutches, stethoscopes, handwritten notes, baby clothes, military insignia and more. —Luis Andres Henao, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Mar. 2024

Think of side channel attacks as the digital equivalent of a burglar opening a safe with a stethoscope pressed to its front panel. —Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 21 June 2020

The vast majority of airlines have barely emerged from the hollow-tube stethoscope era, and still seem proud of themselves for offering touch screens and 3.5-mm headphone jacks. —New Atlas, 2 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French stéthoscope, from Greek stēthos chest + French -scope

First Known Use

1820, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

stethoscope

noun

stetho·​scope ˈsteth-ə-ˌskōp 

 also  ˈstet͟h-

: a medical instrument used for listening to sounds produced in the body and especially those of the heart and lungs

Medical Definition

stethoscope

noun

stetho·​scope

ˈsteth-ə-ˌskōp also ˈstet͟h-

: an instrument used to detect and study sounds produced in the body that are conveyed to the ears of the listener through rubber tubing connected with a usually cup-shaped piece placed upon the area to be examined

stethoscopic

ˌsteth-ə-ˈskäp-ik also ˌstet͟h-

adjective

stethoscopically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb