flowchart
UK[ˈfləʊtʃɑːt]US[ˈfloʊtʃɑːrt]
n
A diagram that uses shapes and arrows to show the steps in a process or the sequence of operations in a system.
Morpheme Breakdown
flow
chart
flow
a continuous movement or sequence
chart
a sheet of information in the form of a diagram or table
Etymology
The word 'flowchart' is a modern English compound, formed in the early 20th century from two pre-existing nouns. 'Flow', of Germanic origin, carries the ancient sense of a moving stream, which evolved metaphorically to describe the orderly progression of steps or information. 'Chart', with its roots in the Greek khartēs (papyrus leaf) via Latin, denotes a graphical representation of data. The compound's logic is transparent: it is literally a chart that visually maps the 'flow' or sequence of a process, algorithm, or system, blending a dynamic concept with a static representational form.
Analysis
Structure: flow + chart
- flow: From Old English flōwan (to flow, stream, issue). In this compound, it functions as a noun meaning 'a continuous movement or sequence'.
- chart: From Latin charta (paper, leaf of paper, map), via Old French charte. In this compound, it functions as a noun meaning 'a sheet of information in the form of a diagram or table'.
Examples
The programmer created a detailed flowchart to outline the software's decision-making logic.
Before writing the code, it's helpful to sketch a flowchart to visualize the program's structure.
The business process was simplified after we analyzed the existing workflow using a flowchart.