-graph repr. F. -graphe, L. -graphus — Gr. -graphos, which was used (i) in the sense ‘written’, as autógraphos autograph, kheirógraphos chirograph, (ii) in the sense ‘writing’, ‘describing’, as bibliográphos writer of books, geōgráphos geographer. Several of the Gr. passive formations have been anglicized, and analogous formations have been made on Gr. models such as lithograph, photograph, which have been imitated in hybrid formations such as pictograph. Most of the current words in -graph are of the technical order and usu. denote a thing that records or expresses (as if in writing), e.g. heliograph, ideograph, phonograph, seismograph, telegraph. The Gr. active formations are usu. repr. by forms in -grapher, which furnish agent-nouns for formations in -graphy. Some words in -graphy denote processes or styles of writing or graphic representation, as calligraphy, orthography, photography, typography; but mostly they are names of sciences, as bibliography, geography, lexicography, topography. Hybrid formations like stratigraphy are few. The corr. adjs. end in -graphic(al), with advs. in -graphically.

-graph • comb. form 1. in nouns denoting something written or drawn in a specified way: autograph.2. in nouns denoting an instrument that records: seismograph.

-graph combining form denoting an instrument that records.