pulse
UK: pʌls | US: pʌls
n. the regular beating of the heart, especially as felt at the wrist
n. a single vibration or short burst of sound, light, or other energy
vt. to produce or emit a series of pulses
The word "pulse" originates from the Latin pulsus (a beating or thrust), derived from the verb pellere (to drive or beat). The morpheme "puls" retains its core meaning of rhythmic movement, seen in related words like "pulsate" and "impulse." Over time, "pulse" expanded from describing physical heartbeats to metaphorical or energy-based rhythms (e.g., light pulses). The silent "e" is a common English suffix with no semantic role.
The nurse checked the patient’s pulse to assess his heart rate.
The machine emits a pulse of light every second.
Ancient cultures measured time using the pulse of celestial bodies.
The music’s pulse made everyone dance.
Scientists use radar pulses to map distant planets.