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flow diagram

flow diagram

1 3.8
A diagram that shows the order of steps in a process like a computer program
  • noun
  • /floʊ ˈdaɪəɡræm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : diagrama de flujo
  • To optimize the system's efficiency, we created a flow diagram that outlines each operation in detail.
  • data flow diagram
  • flow diagram for study

Examples

  • Figure 1 shows a flow diagram of participant enrollment, allocation, follow-up, and analysis.

    Academic text (2018)
  • The new method's flow diagram is shown in Figure 1.

    Academic text (1998)
  • The study flow diagram is presented in Figure 1.

    Academic text (2012)
  • A flow diagram for the final phase of the chip integration process is shown in Figure 3.

    Academic text (1999)
  • The flow diagram of the approach is shown in Fig. 2.

    Academic text (2018)
  • Results: Figure 1 depicts a flow diagram with the search results, study selection, and reasons for exclusion.

    Academic text (2015)
  • In order to build a holistic idea about what happened in the data, I drew flow diagrams to help capture each participant's story.

    Academic text (2006)
  • A very helpful device used by many engineers and product developers is a flow diagram used to illustrate how the potential new product or service will work.

    Academic text (2010)
  • A flow diagram for study retrieval and selection is available in the appendix (p. 5).

    Academic text (2016)
  • The flow diagram illustrates the steps involved in processing customer orders, ensuring clarity in the workflow.

Synonyms

diagram
vsflow diagram
88 2.8

A simple drawing that shows how something works or how its parts fit together

is specifically about operation sequences in technical contexts
flow chart
vsflow diagram
4 3.4

A diagram that shows the steps and decisions in a process using boxes and arrows

focuses on operations more than specific decision symbols
flowchart
vsflow diagram
3 3.8

A diagram that shows the steps and decisions in a process

is a general picture of operations without stressing standard symbols
flow sheet
vsflow diagram
  • Specialized
4.7

A diagram that shows the order of steps in a process, like a computer program or accounting system

focuses on sequences in computing and system operations
PFD
vsflow diagram
  • Specialized
8.6

A diagram that shows how processes and materials move in a factory

is aimed at computing and general system operations rather than industrial materials

How Detailed

flow diagram
  • Specialized
1 3.8
diagram
88 2.8
sketch
150 2.5

Surface Forms

flow diagram singular
flow diagrams plural

Morphology

flow + diagram

The meaning is directly derivable from combining 'flow' (steady movement or sequence of information) with 'diagram' (a drawing that clarifies parts and relationships): a diagram showing the flow. This noun–noun compositional pattern is transparent and common across languages (e.g. Spanish 'diagrama de flujo'), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Flow diagram comes from the idea of a flow, like water moving, shown on a diagram with arrows and boxes. That picture of things moving from one box to the next makes it easy to see the 'steps' or 'sequence' in a program or process, so the term means a chart of the steps in a system.