Pneumogram

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A chart that provides a visual depiction of airflow through the lungs during the breathing cycle
2. A document that represents the fluctuating air movements within the lungs as one inhales and exhales
3. A graphical representation showing changes in air volume and flow within the lungs while breathing

Etymology: "Pneumogram" is a modern technical coinage, built from two classical Greek pieces: "pneumo-", from "pneuma" meaning breath or air, and "-gram", from "gramma" meaning something written or drawn. Put together, the word literally means a drawing of breath, which is exactly what the instrument produces. The first half is the more interesting one. In ancient Greek, "pneuma" referred to breath, air and even the life-giving spirit, a sense that later fed into English words like "pneumonia" and "pneumatic." The second half, "-gram," shows up in a whole family of modern instrument names, such as "telegram" and "seismogram," where a machine records something as a written trace. Ancient Greeks would not have used "pneumogram" themselves; the word belongs to the age of recording instruments, combining old roots to name a new device.

Synonyms: lung test, respiratory assessment