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: an abnormal sound heard accompanying the normal respiratory sounds on auscultation of the chest
Examples of rale in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Literally nothing: no rales, no breath sounds, nothing.
—Discover Magazine, 12 Nov. 2019
For my preceptor, similarly, those wet rales were as recognizable as a familiar jingle.
—Siddhartha Mukherjee, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2017
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Word History
Etymology
French râle, from râler to make a rattling sound in the throat
First Known Use
1828, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near rale
Cite this Entry
“Rale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rale. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
Medical Definition
: an abnormal sound heard accompanying the normal respiratory sounds on auscultation of the chest compare rattle sense 2, rhonchus
More from Merriam-Webster on rale
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rale
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