Percussus

Percussus is a Latin term meaning “having been struck” or “beaten,” derived from the verb percutere, to strike through. In Latin, percussus functions as a passive participle describing objects or actions that have been struck or examined by tapping. In medical and scholarly writing, the form appears in historical descriptions rather than as a current clinical term in English.

In medical context, percussus historically refers to the act of percussion, a diagnostic technique in which the surface of the body is tapped with fingers or a small hammer to assess underlying structures. In Latin clinical descriptions, phrases such as percussus thoracis denote that the chest has been percussed. In modern English, the procedure is simply called percussion, and practitioners use the terms percuss, percussion, and percussive in appropriate languages. The sounds produced by percussion—tympany, resonance, or dullness—aid in distinguishing air-filled from solid or fluid-filled regions, such as the lungs, liver, or abdominal cavity. The technique gained prominence in the 18th century and remains a standard component of physical examination, though imaging and other modalities augment diagnostic accuracy.

Beyond medicine, percussus is primarily encountered as a historical or linguistic reference in Latin texts rather than as a widespread contemporary term in English. Related terms include percutere (to strike through), percussion (the broader concept in music, medicine, and physics), percussive (adj.), and percussor (an instrument or agent that percusses).