sonogram

American  

[son-uh-gram, soh-nuh-] / ˈsɒn əˌgræm, ˈsoʊ nə- /

noun

Medicine/Medical.

1. the visual image produced by reflected sound waves in a diagnostic ultrasound examination.

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sonogram British  

/ ˈsəʊnəˌɡræm /

noun

1. physics a three-dimensional representation of a sound signal, using coordinates of frequency, time, and intensity

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Etymology

Origin of sonogram

First recorded in 1955–60; sono- + -gram ¹

Explanation

In medicine, a sonogram uses sound waves to display an image of some internal part of a person's body. A pregnant woman might have a sonogram to get a picture of her fetus. A sonogram most commonly produces a two-dimensional black and white image — for example, of a fetus inside its mother's uterus. Doctors use sonograms to see organs, tendons, muscles, and joints as well. A sonogram works by bouncing high frequency sounds against tissue and displaying the reflected or echoed image. The word itself combines the Latin sonus, or "sound," and the word-forming suffix -gram.

Example Sentences

The couple included four photos: The first showed the “Twilight” franchise star, 34, kissing the belly of his 29-year-old wife as she stands in a field holding sonogram images.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

Mummy even shared a cartoon sonogram on the morning show, a sight seen infrequently in preschool programming.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2025

A sonogram of Porsha’s firstborn on the fridge in the family home.

From Salon • Nov. 25, 2024

One student turned the waves into a sonogram and was able to identify what songs Swift was singing at the time the ground shook by looking at the beats per minute.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 27, 2023

She eased into the seat next to mine and snatched the sonogram, turning it this way and that, examining it from every angle.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson