Palpé

Palpé is the masculine singular past participle of the French verb palper, which means to touch or feel by hand, often to examine the body. The term is widely used in medical and anatomical contexts to describe what has been detected or assessed through tactile examination. As an adjective, palpé agrees with the gender and number of the noun it describes: la zone palpée, les tissus palpés, or la région palpée. The feminine form is palpée and the plural forms are palpés (masculine) and palpées (feminine).

Etymology and related terms: palper derives from Latin palpāre, meaning to touch, stroke, or feel. In medical terminology, the noun palpation refers to the act or procedure of examining by touch. The English cognate is palpation as well.

Usage notes: In French, the passé composé of palper uses the auxiliary avoir, with the past participle palpé: j'ai palpé, tu as palpé, il a palpé. When the direct object precedes the participle, agreement occurs (e.g., la zone que j'ai palpée). The past participle can function adjectivally to describe tissues or areas that have already been palpated, as in a clinical report: “la région palpée était douloureuse.”

Clinical context: Palpation is a standard technique in physical examinations, used to assess tenderness, masses, consistency, size, and surface characteristics of organs or soft tissues. It complements inspection, auscultation, and percussion in forming a diagnostic impression.