cardio

¹ American  

[kahr-dee-oh] / ˈkɑr di oʊ /

noun

Informal.

1. aerobic exercise that stimulates and strengthens the heart and lungs.

   I mostly use weights, but I always add a little cardio into my routine.

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adjective

Informal.

1. of or relating to aerobic exercise.

   The class begins with a slow and steady warmup, and then it switches to a cardio workout.

2. of or relating to the heart; cardiovascular.

   He's a hugely successful cardio surgeon.

cardio- ² American  

1. a combining form meaning “heart,” used in the formation of compound words.

   cardiogram.

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cardio- British  

combining form

1. heart

   cardiogram

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Usage

What does cardio- mean? Cardio- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “heart.” It is used in many medical and scientific terms.Cardio- comes from the Greek kardía, meaning “heart.” In fact, the English word heart and the Greek kardía are related. Learn more at our entry for heart.What are variants of cardio-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, cardio- becomes cardi-, as in cardiectomy.

Etymology

Origin of cardio¹

First recorded in 1960–65

Origin of cardio-¹

< Greek kardio-, combining form of kardía

Example Sentences

You will have more time to do this if you’re not working, but working does not preclude you from addressing this and, at 58, the more time you spend building cardio and muscle strength, the better.

From MarketWatch

I’m very much a morning exercise person, so after I wash my face and brush my teeth, my first priority is my cardio or my strength training.

From The Wall Street Journal

I do cardio five to six days a week, and strength training three times a week.

From The Wall Street Journal

Cardio is different forms of interval running four days a week, and then walking on the treadmill on a steep incline two days a week.

From The Wall Street Journal

Cardio is not just good for my heart, but is a great emotional release and gets my endorphins going.

From The Wall Street Journal