Spanish word

palpar

Pronunciation

IPA/palˈpaɾ/

Meaning

  • verbfeel

Example

Puedes palpar la fruta para ver si está madura.

You can feel the fruit to see if it is ripe.

Illustration for palpar (feel)

More examples

Antes de decidir, quiso palpar el terreno entre los vecinos.

Before deciding, he wanted to feel out the terrain among the neighbors.

Core concept

Deliberate hand check of an object's texture and firmness.

Common phrases

  • palpar el terreno

    feel out the terrain

  • palpar la situación

    feel out the situation

Similar words

tocar: Makes light, casual contact with something using the hands.
sentir: Senses an object's feel: its texture, warmth, or other tactile qualities.
apretar: Squeezes or exerts strong hand pressure, testing or compressing an object.
tantear: Probes with the hands, feeling and locating positions or boundaries.

Definition in Spanish

Tocar algo con la mano para comprobar su textura, firmeza o estado, realizando un examen táctil y deliberado.

Word origin

From Latin palpare 'to touch or stroke', palpar denotes touching with the hand to examine texture, firmness, or condition.

Usage tips

  • Used for a deliberate, hands-on examination and common in medical contexts as 'palpación' (palpation), unlike tocar which refers to casual touching.

Other meanings

  • palpateverb
  • feel aroundverb

Related words

  • palpablepalpableadjective

Word lists with this word