1. a segmented sensory appendage found near the mouth of arthropods such as insects and spiders
Usage: biology

1. to examine or explore by touch, especially with the hands
Usage: medical; formal

Examples

• The spider used its palps to sense the vibrations in its web.
• Each palp on the insect’s head helps it detect chemical signals.
• The doctor will palp the patient’s abdomen to check for abnormalities.
• She learned to palp the pulse points during her medical training.
• The maxillary palps help the beetle taste its food.
• The physician began to palp the swollen lymph nodes.
• Entomologists study the structure of insect palps to identify species.