Definition

Noun: - A small medical hammer, typically with a rubber head, used by physicians to tap parts of the body during a physical examination. It is primarily used to test reflexes and to perform percussion (tapping) on the chest or other areas to assess the condition of underlying organs.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • The neurologist used a plessor to test the patient's knee-jerk reflex.
  • During the chest examination, the doctor performed percussion with a plessor.

Advanced Usage

• The term is specialized and used almost exclusively in medical contexts. It is synonymous with "percussor" or the more common term "reflex hammer."

Variants and Related Words

• Percussor (n): Another term for a plessor; a hammer used for medical percussion.
• Reflex hammer (n): The more common, general term for a plessor.

Synonyms

• Reflex hammer
• Percussor
• Medical hammer

Notes

• There are no common idioms or phrasal verbs associated with this highly technical term.

Noun

1. (medicine) a small hammer with a rubber head used in percussive examinations of the chest and in testing reflexes