Sphygmograph
/ˈsfɪɡ.mə.ɡræf/noun
An instrument for recording the pulse.
Did you know?Sphygmograph was coined in the 19th century from Greek roots, and its second half comes from the same ancient word family as photography and biography—literally, something that “writes” the pulse.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
sphygmós
“pulse”
Ancient Greek
Greek
gráphein
“to write, draw, or scratch”
19th Century
English
sphygmograph
“an instrument for recording the pulse graphically”
Modern English
English
sphygmograph
“a device that records pulse waves”
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