What does sonogram mean?
A sonogram is a visual representation of sound. It is produced by recording sound waves and analyzing properties such as their strength, frequency, and duration, translating acoustic information into a graphic form that can be studied and compared. In modern medical usage, “sonogram” most often means an image created with ultrasound. Such images can reveal the shape and position of internal structures without requiring surgery and are commonly used in pregnancy examinations and diagnostic investigations. The word also has broader applications in acoustics, speech analysis, music, and wildlife research, where sound patterns may be examined through sonographic displays. Its unusual but transparent name combines Greek roots meaning “sound” and “written record,” reflecting the central idea of the process: making the invisible features of sound visible. Although often associated with medicine, a sonogram is fundamentally any graphic representation of sound waves rather than only an ultrasound picture.
nounA graphic representation of sound obtained by analyzing sound waves, showing such features as intensity, frequency, and time. In medicine, the term commonly refers to an image produced by ultrasound.
- A visual representation of sound produced by analyzing its intensity, frequency, or other acoustic properties.
- An image formed by ultrasound waves, especially an image used in medical diagnosis.
"The sonogram revealed that the pregnancy was progressing normally."
"The technician adjusted the settings before taking another fetal sonogram."
"The sound spectrograph produced a detailed sonogram of the bird's call."
The plural is used for individual ultrasound images or other separate graphic representations of sound.
"The hospital reviewed several sonograms taken during the examination."
A sonogram literally turns sound into writing: its name combines the Greek roots for “sound” and “written record.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sonogram come from?
Sonogram was formed in the early 20th century from Greek sōnē, meaning “sound,” and -gram, meaning “written” or “drawing.” The second element comes from gramma, itself related to writing and to the practice of recording in writing. Words such as phonogram, phonograph, and phonology share the Greek element associated with sound.
Related word forms
How sonogram is actually used
The word is most familiar in medical contexts, where it usually denotes an ultrasound image. In acoustics and wildlife studies, it more generally denotes a graphical representation of recorded sound.
Easily confused with sonogram
A sonogram is the resulting image, while a sonographer is the trained specialist who performs and interprets ultrasound examinations.