cardio

¹

[kahr-dee-oh]

noun

Informal.

1. aerobic exercise that stimulates and strengthens the heart and lungs.

   I mostly use weights, but I always add a little cardio into my routine.

adjective

Informal.

1. of or relating to aerobic exercise.

   The class begins with a slow and steady warmup, and then it switches to a cardio workout.

2. of or relating to the heart; cardiovascular.

   He's a hugely successful cardio surgeon.

cardio-

²

1. a combining form meaning “heart,” used in the formation of compound words.

   cardiogram.

cardio-

combining form

1. heart

   cardiogram

Word History and Origins

Origin of cardio-¹

First recorded in 1960–65

Origin of cardio-²

< Greek kardio-, combining form of kardía

Word History and Origins

Origin of cardio-¹

from Greek kardia heart

Example Sentences

There have been high-intensity sessions on a vertical cardio climber - a full-body workout gizmo which developers say is "one of the most effective and efficient ways of burning fat and calories".

From BBC

To prepare for the climb, Colton and her guides have focused on heavy cardio training.

From Los Angeles Times

Now he’s 262 pounds after he stopped eating chips and used better cardio techniques to drop weight.

From Los Angeles Times

Workout routine: He has hired a guy who comes to his home to do cardio boxing three times a week, but he so often cancels that he’s basically just paying this guy $500 a week to do nothing.

From Los Angeles Times

McVay said Stafford’s workouts with trainers have included some static throwing exercises, running on a treadmill, light cardio and core work.

From Los Angeles Times

When To Use

What does cardio- mean?

Cardio- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “heart.” It is used in many medical and scientific terms.Cardio- comes from the Greek kardía, meaning “heart.” In fact, the English word heart and the Greek kardía are related. Learn more at our entry for heart.What are variants of cardio-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, cardio- becomes cardi-, as in cardiectomy.