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

Then he announced he had a surprise for the kiddo he had nicknamed “Big Ben,” thanks to a sonogram picture he saw where the baby was the same length as a wristwatch.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2025

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

From Salon • Nov. 25, 2024

Mesnard, who represents a suburban swing district, held up his phone and played a sonogram recording of his daughter’s heartbeat.

From New York Times • May 1, 2024

A sonogram with hawthorne, zooey printed across the bottom clung to the refrigerator door—held in place by a magnet from our favorite Chinese takeout joint.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson