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erg

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erg

1[urg]
–noun Physics.
the centimeter-gram-second unit of work or energy, equal to the work done by a force of one dyne when its point of application moves through a distance of one centimeter in the direction of the force; 10−7 joule.

Origin:
1870–75; < Gk érgon work

erg

2[erg]
–noun Geology.
any vast area covered with sand, as parts of the Sahara Desert.

Origin:
1870–75; < F < Ar ʾirq

erg-

var. of ergo- 1 before a vowel: ergodic.

e⋅lec⋅tro⋅ret⋅i⋅no⋅gram

[i-lek-troh-ret-n-uh-gram]
–noun Ophthalmology.
the graphic record obtained by electroretinography. Abbreviation: ERG

Origin:
1935–40; electro- + retino- + -gram 1

ergo-

1
a combining form meaning “work”: ergograph.
Also, especially before a vowel, erg-.


Origin:
comb. form repr. Gk érgon
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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erg   (ûrg)   
n.  The centimeter-gram-second unit of energy or work equal to the work done by a force of one dyne acting over a distance of one centimeter.

[From Greek ergon, work; see werg- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

erg 
"unit of energy in the C.G.S. system," coined 1873 by the British Association for the Advancement of Science from Gk. ergon "work" (see urge (v.)).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: elec·tro·ret·i·no·gram
Pronunciation: -'ret-&n-&-"gram
Function: noun
: a graphic record ofelectrical activity of the retina used especially in the diagnosis of retinal conditions

Main Entry: erg
Pronunciation: '&rg
Function: noun
: a cgs unit of work equal to the work done by a force of one dyne acting through a distance of onecentimeter and equivalent to 107joule

Main Entry: ERG
Function: abbreviation
electroretinogram
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

electroretinogram e·lec·tro·ret·i·no·gram (ĭ-lěk'trō-rět'n-ə-grām')
n.

Abbr. ERG A graphic record of the electrical activity of the retina.

erg (ûrg)
n.
The centimeter-gram-second unit of energy or work equal to the work done by a force of one dyne acting over a distance of one centimeter.

ERG abbr.
electroretinogram

ergo- pref.
Work: ergometer.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Science Dictionary
erg 1   (ûrg)  Pronunciation Key 
The unit of energy or work in the centimeter-gram-second system, equal to the force of one dyne over a distance of one centimeter. This unit has been mostly replaced by the joule.
erg 2   (ûrg)  Pronunciation Key 
An extensive area of desert covered with sand dunes.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Abbreviations & Acronyms
ERG
electroretinogram
The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Encyclopedia

erg

in a desert region, area of large accumulation of sand, generally in the bottom of a huge basin in which a former river piled up alluvium. Ergs are areas of actively shifting dunes, "fossilized" dunes, or extensive sand sheets. The sand is generally loose and is extremely difficult to cross. In the Sahara Desert between Beni Abbes in Algeria and Ghadamis in Libya, the Great Western and Great Eastern ergs are the most difficult of all Saharan areas and are generally avoided by modern trans-Saharan routes. The Libyan Desert is another extensive area of unmitigated sandy waste.

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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