English
fathometer
Fathometer comes from English fathom ‘nautical length measurement used for depth’.
- English1500–presentfathom‘nautical length measurement used for depth’
- Englishearliest quotation 1977fathometer
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- English1500–presentfathom‘nautical length measurement used for depth’
- Englishearliest quotation 1977fathometer
Earliest quotation: 1977, Richard O'Kane, Clear the Bridge: The War Patrols of the U.S.S. Tang: “A Fathometer is just a vertical echo-ranger; its pings…”
A compound of fathom ‘nautical length measurement used for depth’ + -meter
Proto-Indo-European *pet- ‘to spread out’
Proto-Germanic *faþmaz ‘outstretched arms, embrace’
Proto-West Germanic *faþm ‘outstretched arms, embrace’
Old English fæþm ‘encircling or outstretched arms, bosom, embrace’
Middle English fathome ‘unit of length of about six feet’
English fathom
Every English word from English fathom
Today it means
noun A depth finder that uses sound waves to determine the depth of water.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / English fathom / fathometer