electroretinogram
- noun
- /ɪˌlɛktrəʊˈrɛtɪnəˌɡræm/
- Specialized
- The machine, an electroretinogram, emits an irritating, strange flat line sound.
Examples
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After the electroretinogram, the patient learned about their retinal function and the health of their vision.
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The doctor explained that an electroretinogram helps to determine how well the retina responds to light.
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To evaluate his eyesight, the specialist conducted an electroretinogram to measure the retina's electrical activity.
Synonyms
A test that measures electrical signals in the back of the eye when light shines
Surface Forms
Morphology
electroretinogram = retinogram (semi-transparent) = electro + retina + gram
The term is structurally compositional as an electrical version of a retinogram, but the medical specialization makes it less immediately guessable for an average learner.
Etymology
The word electroretinogram comes from three parts: electro- 'electricity', retina 'the back of the eye that senses light', and -gram 'a record', as in the familiar word telegram. So an electroretinogram is a 'record' of the eye's electrical signals, which is why the test measures how the retina responds to light.