cardiovascular

adjective

car·​dio·​vas·​cu·​lar ˌkär-dē-ō-ˈva-skyə-lər How to pronounce cardiovascular (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or involving the heart and blood vessels
2
: used, designed, or performed to cause a temporary increase in heart rate
a cardiovascular workout
cardiovascularly adverb
cardiovascularly fit

Examples of cardiovascular in a Sentence

running, swimming, and other cardiovascular exercises
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Cancer treatments accounted for about $25 billion in ​2025 sales, nearly half of ‌the total, followed by cardiovascular, renal and metabolism treatments worth about $12 billion. — Annie Nova, CNBC, 2 Aug. 2026 This type of fat distribution is associated with a higher risk for developing conditions such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes, as opposed to subcutaneous fat, which is directly under the skin. — Crystal Gwizdala, Hartford Courant, 1 Aug. 2026 The animals’ slow metabolism, low blood pressure and sluggish lifestyle may reduce strain on the cardiovascular system. — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 Over the follow-up, 439 deaths occurred, including 148 cardiovascular deaths. — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cardiovascular

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cardiovascular was in 1854

Rhymes for cardiovascular

See All Rhymes for cardiovascular

Browse Nearby Words

cardiotonic
cardiovascular
cardioversion
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cardiovascular.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cardiovascular. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

cardiovascular

adjective
car·​dio·​vas·​cu·​lar ˌkärd-ē-ō-ˈvas-kyə-lər How to pronounce cardiovascular (audio)
: of, relating to, or involving the heart and blood vessels
cardiovascular disease

Medical Definition

cardiovascular

1 of 2 adjective
car·​dio·​vas·​cu·​lar -ˈvas-kyə-lər How to pronounce cardiovascular (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or involving the heart and blood vessels
cardiovascular disease
the cardiovascular system
2
: used, designed, or performed to cause a temporary increase in heart rate (as to improve heart function and reduce the risk of heart disease)
a cardiovascular workout
treadmills, stationary bicycles, and other cardiovascular equipment
cardiovascularly adverb
cardiovascularly fit

cardiovascular

2 of 2 noun
: a substance (as a drug) that affects the heart or blood vessels

More from Merriam-Webster on cardiovascular

Nglish: Translation of cardiovascular for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of mitigate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All