graph-

¹ American  

1. variant of grapho- before a vowel.

   grapheme.

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-graph ² American  

1. a combining form meaning “drawn,” “written” (lithograph; monograph ); specialized in meaning to indicate the instrument rather than the written product of the instrument (telegraph; phonograph ).

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graph ³ American  

[graf] / græf /

noun

1. a diagram representing a system of connections or interrelations among two or more things by a number of distinctive dots, lines, bars, etc.

2. Mathematics.

   1. a series of points, discrete or continuous, forming a curve or surface, each of which represents a value of a given function.

   2. Also called linear graph.  a network of lines connecting points.

3. a written symbol for an idea, a sound, or a linguistic expression.

4. Computers. a non-hierarchical data structure whose nodes store data elements and whose branches represent connections to other nodes in the structure.

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verb (used with object)

1. Mathematics. to draw (a curve) as representing a given function.

2. to represent by means of a graph.

-graph ¹ British  

combining form

1. an instrument that writes or records

   telegraph

2. a writing, record, or drawing

   autograph

   lithograph

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graph ² British  

/ ɡrɑːf, ɡræf /

noun

1. Also called: chart.  a drawing depicting the relation between certain sets of numbers or quantities by means of a series of dots, lines, etc, plotted with reference to a set of axes See also bar graph

2. maths a drawing depicting a functional relation between two or three variables by means of a curve or surface containing only those points whose coordinates satisfy the relation

3. maths a structure represented by a diagram consisting of points (vertices) joined by lines (edges)

4. linguistics a symbol in a writing system not further subdivisible into other such symbols

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verb

1. (tr) to draw or represent in a graph

graph Scientific  

/ grăf /

1. A diagram showing the relationship of quantities, especially such a diagram in which lines, bars, or proportional areas represent how one quantity depends on or changes with another.

2. A curve or line showing a mathematical function or equation, typically drawn in a Cartesian coordinate system. The graph of the function y = x ² is a parabola.

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Usage

What does -graph mean? The combining form -graph is used like a suffix meaning “drawn” or "written," often to denote a recording of something. It is also used in a technical sense to mean an instrument that produces a written product. It is often used in scientific and technical terms.The form -graph comes from Greek -graphos, meaning “drawn or written, one who draws or writes.”What are variants of -graph?While -graph doesn't have any variants, it is related to the forms -graphy, as in telegraphy, and -graphic, as in pictographic. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles on -graphy and -graphic.

Related Words

See map.

Other Word Forms

• -graphic combining form
• -graphically combining form
• regraph verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of -graph¹

< Greek -graphos (something) drawn or written, one who draws or writes. See grapho-

Origin of graph¹

First recorded in 1875–80; short for graphic formula; graphic

Example Sentences

“I measure extra-credit points and graph the bar chart by weight. Hang the bag of litter or bottles or whatever you collect on this scale, and it’ll tell you how much you got. It’s honor code, so just mark down the weight and dispose of the litter appropriately. I’ll keep all this up front for you until it’s time to leave for the day so you don’t have to lug it around. Cool?”

From Literature

He points over at the clean-up bar graph on the back of the classroom door.

From Literature

Another monitor lit up with a graph.

From Literature

"TikTok's power lies in its content graph - an algorithm that learns from thousands of user signals to deliver hyper‑relevant, highly addictive videos," said Kelsey Chickering, principal analyst at Forrester.

From BBC

The largest human CO2 event in history, the emergence of China as an industrial power, on an emissions graph appears only as a continuation of an uninterrupted upward trend since the Industrial Revolution.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• chart