Ballistocardiograph

/bəˌlɪstoʊˈkɑrdiəɡræf/ noun

Definition

A medical device that records the movement of the body caused by the heart pumping blood, used to assess cardiac function.

Etymology

From 'ballisto-' (ballistic movement) + 'cardio-' (heart) + '-graph' (recording instrument). Created in the 1940s as an alternative cardiac diagnostic tool.

Kelly Says

This machine proved that Newton's Third Law applies to your heart—every beat pushes blood forward, causing your whole body to recoil backward by millimeters.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.