chart

¹ American  

[chahrt] / tʃɑrt /

noun

1. a sheet exhibiting information in tabular form.

2. a graphic representation, as by curves, of a dependent variable, as temperature, price, etc.; graph.

3. a map, especially a hydrographic or marine map.

4. an outline map showing special conditions or facts.

   a weather chart.

5. Astrology. horoscope.

6. Jazz. a musical arrangement.

7. the charts, ratings of the popularity of popular-music records, usually based on nationwide sales for a given week.

   Their album is number three on the charts this week.

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verb (used with object)

1. to make a chart of.

2. to plan.

   to chart a course of action.

   Synonyms:

   outline, draft

3. Informal. to rank in the charts.

   The new song gets charted number four this week.

idioms

1. off the charts, greatly exceeding the general level or average: Also off the chart

   Demand for the new phone is off the charts.

chart. ² American  

abbreviation

1. (in prescriptions) a paper.

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chart British  

/ tʃɑːt /

noun

1. a map designed to aid navigation by sea or air

2. an outline map, esp one on which weather information is plotted

3. a sheet giving graphical, tabular, or diagrammatical information

4. another name for graph

5. astrology another word for horoscope

6. informal the lists produced weekly from various sources of the bestselling pop singles and albums or the most popular videos

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verb

1. (tr) to make a chart of

2. (tr) to make a detailed plan of

3. (tr) to plot or outline the course of

4. (intr) (of a record or video) to appear in the charts (sense 6)

Related Words

See map.

Other Word Forms

• chartable adjective
• prechart verb (used with object)
• precharted adjective
• rechart verb (used with object)
• well-charted adjective

Etymology

Origin of chart¹

1565–75; from Middle French charte, from Latin c(h)arta; charta

Origin of chart.²

From the Latin word charta

Explanation

Whether it's a kind of graph, a map, or even a piece of music, a chart is a visual display of information. As a verb, chart means to make that kind of display. Some words' meanings grow narrower over the centuries. But in the case of chart, which comes from the French charte and Latin charta, "map," the meanings have grown a lot since the 1500s. Now, chart is a noun meaning any visual index of information, as in "that song is shooting up the charts." It's also still a map, as in "harbor chart." And it's a verb, as in "to chart your progress, make a chart."

Example Sentences

She pointed The Times to a proposed salary chart that showed the long-term potential raises for two categories of workers.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

“Reason can chart the course,” he wrote in 1937, “it can point out what are the obstacles, the human weaknesses, that interpose. But to overcome these obstacles is the task of spiritual leadership.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

On the ratio chart against the IGV it could be building a cup with handle pattern.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

Below is a bitcoin daily cloud chart with the crypto’s 50- and 200-day moving averages.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

I look at the white walls and the table where she showed me the pain chart and think that I’ve actually come kind of far since yesterday; I’ve eaten and slept; you can’t deny that.

From "It’s Kind of a Funny Story" by Ned Vizzini

Related Words

• delineate
• devise
• lay out
• outline
• sketch