"act of listening," 1630s, from Latin auscultationem (nominative auscultatio), noun of action from past participle stem of auscultare (see auscultate). Medical sense is from 1821.
auscultation aus·cul·ta·tion (ô'skəl-tā'shən)
n.
The act of listening for sounds made by internal organs, such as the heart and lungs, to aid in the diagnosis of certain disorders.