What does pulsation mean?
Pulsation denotes a rhythmic throbbing, beating, or recurring variation. Its most familiar use is medical: a doctor may feel or hear the pulsation of an artery, or detect an abnormal pulsation in the abdomen or neck. In technical contexts, the term describes periodic changes in such quantities as sound, light, pressure, or the brightness of a star. The related verb pulsate means to beat or throb in a regular rhythm, and the adjective pulsatile characterizes something that pulses. Compared with pulse, which can refer to one beat or the regular throbbing of an artery, pulsation more often emphasizes the recurring movement or rhythm itself. The word is accurate in both ordinary and scientific writing, although pulse is generally preferred in casual speech.
nounA rhythmic throbbing or beating, especially of the heart or blood vessels. It can also refer more generally to a recurring variation in the magnitude or intensity of a phenomenon.
- A rhythmic throbbing or beating, especially of the heart or blood vessels.
- A periodic increase and decrease in the magnitude, intensity, or value of a quantity, as in sound, light, pressure, or radiation.
- A single recurring beat or movement in a rhythmic process.
"The doctor listened for the steady pulsation of the patient's heart."
"The pulsation of the engine grew louder as the aircraft climbed."
"Astronomers detected faint pulsations in the star's brightness."
Used when referring to separate beats, recurring variations, or multiple signals.
"The sensors detected faint pulsations from the distant source."
A pulsation is what turns a steady heartbeat into a rhythm: the pulse is one beat, while the pulsation is the beat's repeated movement.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pulsation come from?
Pulsation derives from Latin pulsatio, a noun formed from pulsare, meaning “to beat, knock, or pulsate.” The same Latin root is represented in English by pulse and by the verb pulsate. The word entered English in the early 17th century, initially in medical and natural-philosophical contexts, and later developed broader technical senses for regularly recurring changes or signals.
Related word forms
How pulsation is actually used
In medical contexts, pulsation often describes a palpable rhythmic movement, especially in an artery. In physics and astronomy, it can describe a regular variation in a signal or measured quantity. The word is more formal than the everyday word pulse.
Easily confused with pulsation
Pulsation is a noun meaning a rhythmic throbbing or beat, whereas pulsatile is an adjective describing something that has a beating or pulsating character.