flow chart

American  

Or flowchart

noun

1. Also called flow sheet.  a detailed diagram or chart of the operations and equipment through which material passes, as in a manufacturing process.

2. a graphic representation, using symbols interconnected with lines, of the successive steps in a procedure or system.

---

flow chart British  

noun

1. a diagrammatic representation of the sequence of operations or equipment in an industrial process, computer program, etc

---

Etymology

Origin of flow chart

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

flow chart

I wish clinics handed you a flow chart of how it can all go, and what triggers a cost.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026

She pointed to a flow chart on the wall, titled “Ready for the World,” that Carvalho’s team distributed after he arrived in 2022.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 18, 2026

Rackoll is hoping to develop a tool for these larger reviews: a flow chart with a series of checkpoints that guide researchers as they consider each paper for possible inclusion.

From Science Magazine ● Nov. 28, 2024

“It takes almost a flow chart to figure it out,” said Adam Parrott-Sheffer, a former principal touting his experience to run in the same South Side district as Smith.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 2, 2024

Stan visualized the flow chart of the machine as he approached.

From Alarm Clock by Dongen, H. R. van