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

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

Peloton’s latest cardio machines have new Peloton IQ movement-tracking cameras in their screens.

From The Wall Street Journal