chart
noun
a sheet exhibiting information in tabular form.
chart
1 American
[chahrt]
/ tʃɑrt /
noun
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a sheet exhibiting information in tabular form.
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a graphic representation, as by curves, of a dependent variable, as temperature, price, etc.; graph.
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a map, especially a hydrographic or marine map.
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an outline map showing special conditions or facts.
a weather chart.
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Astrology. horoscope.
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Jazz. a musical arrangement.
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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.
verb (used with object)
idioms
chart.
2
American
abbreviation
chart
British
/ tʃɑːt /
noun
-
a map designed to aid navigation by sea or air
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an outline map, esp one on which weather information is plotted
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a sheet giving graphical, tabular, or diagrammatical information
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another name for graph
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astrology another word for horoscope
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informal the lists produced weekly from various sources of the bestselling pop singles and albums or the most popular videos
verb
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(tr) to make a chart of
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(tr) to make a detailed plan of
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(tr) to plot or outline the course of
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(intr) (of a record or video) to appear in the charts (sense 6)
Related Words
See map.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of chart1
1565–75; from Middle French charte, from Latin c(h)arta; see 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."
Vocabulary lists containing chart
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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The Scientific Method
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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.
Meanwhile, the real worry about the U.S. 10-year chart isn’t just the pennant pattern, it comes when you zoom way out, to put it in a generational perspective.
From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026
Open war with Wilson could hamstring the company just as management is trying to chart a new course.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
The company went so far as to build a flow chart of the different selling scenarios.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
Billboard reports that Jackson is the only artist ever to occupy the top three slots on its album chart simultaneously.
From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026
It was a seating chart, Jonah realized, like for a classroom.
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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.
