What does cardiogram mean?
A cardiogram is a graphic record of the heart's electrical activity, usually made by placing electrodes on a patient's body and recording the resulting pattern. The information can help clinicians evaluate the heart's rate, rhythm, and electrical conduction, although interpreting it requires medical training. In modern usage, the term “electrocardiogram,” abbreviated ECG in British and international contexts and EKG in North American contexts, is more common and more specific. “Cardiogram” remains useful as a concise synonym and has a somewhat historical or technical character, which can make it particularly noticeable in medical literature and accounts of the history of cardiology. Its formation reflects its straightforward meaning: the Greek root for heart combined with a word element meaning writing or a written record. The cardiogram is therefore both a practical diagnostic document and a visual representation of the heart's activity, linking scientific measurement with the older practice of recording bodily functions graphically.
nounA cardiogram is a graphic record of the heart's electrical activity, typically produced by an electrocardiograph. The term is often used as a synonym for electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), although it is less common in clinical speech.
- A graphic record of the heart's electrical activity, especially one produced by an electrocardiograph.
"The doctor studied the cardiogram carefully before recommending further tests."
"The cardiogram revealed an irregular rhythm that the physician wanted to investigate."
"In the historical account, the first cardiogram of the day was printed in the morning newspaper."
The regular plural is formed by adding -s.
"Several cardigrams from the trial were compared."
Literally, a cardiogram means “heart writing”: a graphic picture of the electrical story of a beating heart.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does cardiogram come from?
Cardiogram was formed in English from the Greek kardion, meaning “heart,” and a form of gramma meaning “writing” or “record.” The word belongs to the same family of medical coinages as cardiology and cardiography, which likewise use the Greek root for heart. Its development parallels the nineteenth-century development of instruments for recording physiological activity, including the heart's electrical signals.
Related word forms
How cardiogram is actually used
The word is formal and mainly occurs in medical, historical, or educational contexts. In contemporary clinical usage, electrocardiogram, ECG, and EKG are considerably more common.
Easily confused with cardiogram
An electrocardiogram is the standard medical term for a tracing of the heart's electrical activity, while cardiogram is a shorter, less specific synonym for the same type of record.
A cardiogram is the record produced, whereas a cardiograph is the instrument used to produce it.