chart

1 of 2

noun

1
: map: such as
a
: an outline map exhibiting something (such as climatic or magnetic variations) in its geographical aspects
b
: a map for the use of navigators
2
a
: a sheet giving information in tabular form
b
: graph
c
d
: a sheet of paper ruled and graduated for use in a recording instrument
e
: a record of medical information about a patient
f
: a listing by rank (as of sales)
usually used in plural
number one on the chartsTim Cahill
3
: a musical arrangement
also : a part in such an arrangement

chart

2 of 2

verb

charted; charting; charts

transitive verb

1
: to lay out a plan for
chart a course
2
: to make a map or chart of
chart the coastline
3
: chronicle
the book charts the last years of his life

intransitive verb

: to be ranked on a chart
the song charted for three months

Examples of chart in a Sentence

Noun a chart showing the number of cars sold each month The doctor consulted the patient's chart. The record went to the top of the charts. Verb They charted the course of the ship. She wanted to chart her own career path. He will try to chart a new course for the company. analysts charting trends in the stock market
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The charts may not be reproduced without permission from the American Booksellers Association, the trade association for independent bookstores in the United States, and indiebound.org. Becky Meloan, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 While a Ye record would historically yielded quick arrivals on multiple radio charts, the artist’s recent string of hate speech and antisemitic remarks almost certainly caused programmers to tread slowly into playing any new material. Trevor Anderson, Billboard, 6 Mar. 2024 The Indie Record Store Top 50 (which Record Store Day launched at the end of 2023 as an alternative to Luminate’s chart) has similarly shown heavy sales from the music that’s topped the Billboard charts in the past year such as Swift, Rodrigo, Del Rey, Noah Kahan, and Zach Bryan. Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 6 Mar. 2024 In the latter, the three posed together while Sheeran held up a bottle of champagne to honor the fan-favorite going No. 1 on the charts. Sadie Bell, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024 Her stirring performance of the power ballad spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was nominated for three Grammy Awards. Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024 The album hit the Billboard charts at No. 1, becoming West’s 11th consecutive chart-topper and Ty Dolla $ign's first. Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 4 Mar. 2024 His talent and star power helped make many a tune into a smash on the charts. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 In addition to her success on Billboard’s marquee albums and singles charts, Minogue has also proven herself to be a dominant force on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs. Kyle Denis, Billboard, 23 Feb. 2024
Verb
But this Oscar belongs to Stone for charting the arc of Bella’s physical, intellectual and moral growth with the precision of an astronomer. Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 As a couple, Steve and Eydie had fewer chart successes, landing only four charting songs, none of them major hits — yet their chart stats give little indication of just how ubiquitous the pair became as television personalities. Chris Willman, Variety, 7 Mar. 2024 The story is ripped from the pages of Nicholls' 2009 book, which charts 20 years in the lives of the main characters — from their initial rendezvous as fresh college graduates through the throes of adulthood. Lindsay Kimble, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 The body has little power to chart the course ahead for the country, as major policy direction is set by the party, whose elite members make decisions in closed-door meetings throughout the year. Simone McCarthy, CNN, 3 Mar. 2024 The total solar eclipse is set to chart a 115-mile-wide path of totality, passing over portions of Mexico, the United States and Canada. John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Mar. 2024 A number of recent stories chart the tangled, tragic global fault lines of the war. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024 Vultures 1 is one of several new entrants on the Top Streaming Albums chart this time around. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 Marley’s songs have garnered a whopping seven billion official on-demand U.S. streams, per Luminate, while his Legend compilation is the second-longest charting album in Billboard 200 history (821 weeks). Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 24 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chart.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French charte, from Latin charta piece of papyrus, document — more at card entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1560, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1842, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chart was circa 1560

Dictionary Entries Near chart

Cite this Entry

“Chart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chart. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

chart

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: map entry 1
especially : one showing features (as coasts, shoals, and currents) of importance to sailors
b
: an outline map showing something (as differences in climate or magnetism) according to geography
2
: a sheet giving information in the form of a table or of lists or by means of diagrams or graphs

chart

2 of 2 verb
1
: to make a map or chart of
2
: to lay out a plan for
Etymology

Noun

from early French charte "map," from Latin charta "piece of papyrus" — related to card entry 3

Medical Definition

chart

noun
1
: a sheet giving information especially in tabular form
especially : a record of medical information for a patient
2
: graph
3
: a sheet of paper ruled and graduated for use in a recording instrument
chart transitive verb

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