mammography

noun

mam·​mog·​ra·​phy ma-ˈmä-grə-fē 

: X-ray examination of the breasts (as for early detection of cancer)

mammographic

ˌma-mə-ˈgra-fik 

adjective

Examples of mammography in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Unlike screening mammography of women over 50 — which clearly reduces their risk of dying from breast cancer — and studies that demonstrate the benefits of screening for colon, cervical and lung cancer in specific populations, the value of prostate cancer screening is less clear-cut. —Arthur L. Kellermann, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025

Implementation Playbook For Healthcare Leaders Start With High-Volume, High-Pain Points: Focus first on imaging bottlenecks—mammography backlogs, overnight CT reads, outpatient ECG analysis—where AI delivers immediate operational ROI and clinician relief. —Yidi Xu, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025

But now imagine two women visiting a mammography clinic. —Siddhartha Mukherjee, New Yorker, 16 June 2025

It is typically used to screen high-risk patients or diagnose areas difficult to see under mammography. —Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 6 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin mamma "breast" + -o- + -graphy — more at mamma entry 1

Note: See note at mammogram.

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mammography

• arthrography
• biography
• cartography
• cosmography
• cryptography
• demography
• discography
• echography
• ethnography
• filmography
• geography
• hydrography

Medical Definition

mammography

noun

mam·​mog·​ra·​phy -fē 

plural mammographies

: X-ray examination of the breasts (as for early detection of cancer)

mammographic

ˌmam-ə-ˈgraf-ik 

adjective