diagram
noun · verb
Simple meaning
A plan, drawing, sketch or outline to show the function or operation of something, or to show the relationships between the parts of a whole.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
dyuhgramSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈdaɪəɡɹæm
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
A plan, drawing, sketch or outline to show the function or operation of something, or to show the relationships between the parts of a whole.
A graph or chart.
verb
transitive
To represent or indicate something using a diagram.
uk
To schedule the operations of a locomotive or train according to a diagram.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate (estimated)
- Frequency
- Common
- Typical Use
- General English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: A plan, drawing, sketch or outline to show the function or operation of something, or to show the relationships between the parts of a whole.
Used this way, diagram is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use diagram
- “He drew a simple diagram to explain how the new machine works.”
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
A graphical representation of a program using formal logic.
A diagram showing the interconnections between the components of system (especially an electronic system).
A figure that branches from a single root.
A diagram that uses circles to represent mathematical or logical sets pictorially inside a rectangle (the universal set).
A diagram that uses circles to represent mathematical or logical sets pictorially inside a rectangle (the universal set).
A schematic drawing of the wiring of an electrical system.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: to represent or indicate something using a diagram
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.