1Characterized by pulsing, beating, or throbbing; = pulsatile.
2Played or produced by percussion; = pulsatile. rare.
Origin
Late Middle English; earliest use found in John Trevisa (c1342–?1402), translator. From Middle French pulsatif and its etymon post-classical Latin pulsativus exhibiting pulsation from classical Latin pulsāt-, past participial stem of pulsāre + -īvus; compare -ative.