plural ultrasounds
1
: vibrations of the same physical nature as sound but with frequencies above the range of human hearing
2
: the diagnostic or therapeutic use of ultrasound and especially a noninvasive technique involving the formation of a two-dimensional image used for the examination and measurement of internal body structures and the detection of bodily abnormalities

called also sonography, ultrasonography

3
: a diagnostic examination using ultrasound
The patient was scheduled for an abdominal ultrasound.
prenatal ultrasounds

Examples of ultrasound in a Sentence

They used ultrasound to examine his heart. She had an ultrasound exam this morning. She had an ultrasound this morning. She showed me an ultrasound of her unborn baby.
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.
Advanced mammography, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, combined with expert interpretation, can help identify cancers earlier, when treatment is often more effective. — Baptist Health, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026 Parents know the joy of the first ultrasound scan of their babies. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 30 Sep. 2026 An ultrasound discovered a mass in his testicle, requiring Reeve to undergo a procedure known as orchiectomy to remove his testicle. — ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026 But his wife, Amanda Dubin Reeve, urged him to go to the doctor and get an ultrasound. — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ultrasound

Word History

First Known Use

1923, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ultrasound was in 1923

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ultrasound.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ultrasound. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

1
: ultrasonic vibrations
2
: the use of ultrasound for medical diagnosis or treatment and especially a technique involving the formation of a two-dimensional image used for examining internal body structures and detecting abnormalities in the body

Medical Definition

ultrasound

1 of 2 noun
1
: vibrations of the same physical nature as sound but with frequencies above the range of human hearing compare infrasound
2
: the diagnostic or therapeutic use of ultrasound and especially a noninvasive technique involving the formation of a two-dimensional image used for the examination and measurement of internal body structures and the detection of bodily abnormalities

called also echography, sonography, ultrasonography

3
: a diagnostic examination using ultrasound

ultrasound

2 of 2 adjective
: of, relating to, performed by, using, or specializing in ultrasound
an ultrasound technician
ultrasound imaging

More from Merriam-Webster on ultrasound

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