cardiovascular
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of cardiovascular
Explanation
Use the adjective cardiovascular when you're talking about the circulatory system in general or the heart specifically. Cardiovascular exercise gets your blood pumping and is good for your heart. Cardio- means "heart," from the Greek kardia, and vascular refers to blood circulation, from a Latin root meaning "vessels or tubes." So anything cardiovascular is related to the heart muscle and the blood it pumps through arteries, veins, and capillaries. Cardiovascular diseases affect the structure of the heart itself or the vessels that help it move blood through the body. Things like not smoking and regularly moving your body can help you keep your cardiovascular system healthy.
Vocabulary lists containing cardiovascular
Body Language: Cor, Cord, Cardio ("Heart")
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Physical Education - Middle School and High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The company reported a 15% increase in revenue from oncology products at constant currency, offsetting declines in its cardiovascular, renal and metabolism, and infectious diseases franchises.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Testosterone has been clinically associated in numerous studies with physical strength, elevated red blood cell counts, higher cardiovascular capacity and aggression—all of which can help enormously in any kind of physical contest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
"Not only that, evidence has been accumulating that it also raises the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and mental illness," says Kang Mo-yeol, professor of occupational medicine at the Catholic University of Korea.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Researchers say more studies are needed to clarify the caffeine content and cardiovascular effects of these other products.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 22, 2026
“All this trotting to and fro will be the”—huff!—‘death of me!” she wheezed, although, as you already know, regular aerobic exercise was far more likely to improve her cardiovascular fitness than cause her demise.
From "The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I: The Mysterious Howling" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
