fathom
English
/ˈfæðəm/
noun
Definitions
- (obsolete) Grasp, envelopment, control.
- (units of measure) An English unit of length for water depth notionally based upon the width of grown man's outstretched arms but standardized as 6 feet (about 1.8m).
- (units of measure) Various similar units in other systems.
- (figuratively) Depth of insight, mental reach or scope.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English fathome inherited from Old English fæþm (armful, fathom) derived from Proto-Germanic *faþmaz (embrace, armful) derived from Proto-Indo-European *pet- (extend, spread out), *peth₂- (fly, spread out, fall).
Origin
Proto-Indo-European
*peth₂-
Gloss
fly, spread out, fall
Concept
Semantic Field
Animals
Ontological Category
Action/Process
Emoji
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Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- andropetal English
- bipetal English
- bracteopetal English
- depetal English
- fanpetal English
- fathomability English
- fathomable English
- fathomableness English
- fathomer English
- fathometer English
- fathomless English
- fathomlessly English
- fathomlessness English
- fathomly English
- patently English
- petal English
- petaled English
- petaliferous English
- petaliform English
- petalled English
- petalless English
- petallike English
- petaloid English
- petalomania English
- petalous English
- petalsome English
- quadripetal English
- unfathom English
- unfathomability English
- unfathomable English
- unfathomableness English
- unfathomably English
- syltä Finnish
- expandere Latin
- impetus Latin
- pactum Latin
- pandō Latin
- pateo Latin
- pateō Latin
- patibulum Latin
- penna Latin
- petere Latin
- petilus Latin
- petītus Latin
- repetō, repetere, repeto Latin
- Ariadnefaden German
- Bindfaden German
- Diskussionsfaden German
- Faden German
- Fadenlauf German
- Fadenwurm German
- Fädchen German
- Glühfaden German
- Goldfaden German
- Lebensfaden German
- Leitfaden German
- Seidenfaden German
- Silberfaden German
- Spinnfaden German
- Wollfaden German
- fadennackend German
- fadenscheinig German
- fädeln German
- vadem Dutch, Flemish
- πέταλον Ancient Greek
- πέταλος Ancient Greek
- πέτασος Ancient Greek
- πέτηλος Ancient Greek
- πέτομαι Ancient Greek
- πετάννυμι Ancient Greek
- ποταμός Ancient Greek
- πτέρυξ Ancient Greek
- πτερωτός Ancient Greek
- πτωτικός Ancient Greek
- πτωτός Ancient Greek
- πτῶμα Ancient Greek
- πτῶσις Ancient Greek
- ἀπόπτωσις Ancient Greek
- ἐκπέταλος Ancient Greek
- ἵπταμαι Ancient Greek
- *pat- Proto-Indo-European
- *pet- Proto-Indo-European
- *peth₂- Proto-Indo-European
- *péth₂eti Proto-Indo-European
- *péth₂r̥ Proto-Indo-European
- *péth₂r̥, pth₂én- Proto-Indo-European
- *pípth₂- Proto-Indo-European
- favn Norwegian Bokmål
- *faþmaz Proto-Germanic
- *fiþriją Proto-Germanic
- famn Swedish
- fæþm Old English
- पतति Sanskrit
- पातयति Sanskrit
- fathome Middle English
- faðmr Old Norse
- fiðraðr Old Norse
- fjaðraðr Old Norse
- *pъtakъ Proto-Slavic
- fadeno Esperanto
- faðmur Icelandic
- hedfan Welsh
- vadem Middle Dutch
- fadam Old High German
- fadum Old High German
- vadem Middle High German
- Fuedem Luxembourgish, Letzeburgesch
- pe Albanian
- periudhë Albanian
- *faþm gmw-pro
- *fatham Old Dutch
- *ɸanssā Proto-Celtic
- *ɸettiyā Proto-Celtic
- vādem Middle Low German
- baadom Cimbrian
- badaman Cimbrian
- petali Swahili
- *patnō Proto-Italic
- Faam Low German
- *petja Proto-Albanian
- ἵπταμαι grc-koi
- petal
- bipetal
- depetal
- petaled
- fathomer
- fathomly
- petaloid
- fanpetal
- petalous
- petalled
- patently
- unfathom
- petalless
- petallike
- petalsome
- andropetal
- petaliform
- fathomable
- fathomless
- fathometer
- quadripetal
- petalomania
- petaliferous
- unfathomably
- unfathomable
- fathomlessly
- bracteopetal
- fathomability
- fathomableness
- fathomlessness
- unfathomability
- unfathomableness