ballistocardiogram
- noun
- /bəˌlɪstəˈkɑrdɪəˌɡræm/
- Specialized
:
balistocardiograma
- The doctor reviewed the patient's ballistocardiogram to assess his cardiac health.
Examples
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Abnormalities in the ballistocardiogram suggested an underlying heart problem.
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A technician operated the ballistocardiograph to produce a clear ballistocardiogram.
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The ballistocardiogram showed irregular heartbeats.
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Doctors use a ballistocardiogram to analyze heart health.
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A technician operated the ballistocardiograph to produce a clear ballistocardiogram.
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Abnormalities in the ballistocardiogram suggested an underlying heart problem.
-
The doctor reviewed the patient's ballistocardiogram to assess his cardiac health.
How Many Signals
Surface Forms
Morphology
ballistocardiogram = ballisto + cardio + gram
Although the word is built from scientific combining forms meaning roughly 'throw', 'heart', and 'record', an average B1 learner is unlikely to know these forms well enough to infer the specialized medical meaning.
Etymology
The word ballistocardiogram comes from three Greek parts: ballisto- meaning 'movement' or 'to throw', cardio- meaning 'heart', and -gram meaning 'a record', as in telegram. So a ballistocardiogram is a 'record' of the body's small movements caused by the heartbeat, which is why doctors use it to check the heart.
