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cardiovascular

American  
[kahr-dee-oh-vas-kyuh-ler] / ˌkɑr di oʊˈvæs kyə lər /

adjective

Anatomy.
  1. of, relating to, or affecting the heart and blood vessels.


cardiovascular British  
/ ˌkɑːdɪəʊˈvæskjʊlə /

adjective

  1. of or relating to the heart and the blood vessels

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

cardiovascular Scientific  
/ kär′dē-ō-văskyə-lər /
  1. Relating to or involving the heart and blood vessels.


cardiovascular Cultural  
  1. A descriptive term for the heart and the blood vessels.


Etymology

Origin of cardiovascular

First recorded in 1875–80; cardio- + vascular

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.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing cardiovascular

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.

"Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women and remains their #1 health risk overall," said Stacey E. Rosen, M.D.,

From Science Daily • Feb. 27, 2026

Younger adults need to recognize that they may be at risk, said Dr. Sadiya Khan, Magerstadt professor of Cardiovascular Epidemiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, who wasn’t involved in the latest study.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

Cardiovascular revenue jumped 14% to $3.46 billion, making it Medtronic’s largest top-line contributor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026

Cardiovascular health was evaluated using the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8™ metrics.

From Science Daily • Jan. 30, 2026

Cardiovascular diseases, which include heart and blood-vessel disorders, are the world’s leading cause of death.

From Barron's • Jan. 15, 2026

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