fathom
noun/ˈfæðəm/
/ˈfæðəm/
- a unit for measuring the depth of water, equal to 6 feet or 1.8 metres
- The ship sank in 20 fathoms.
- (figurative) She kept her feelings hidden fathoms deep.
Word OriginOld English fæthm, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vadem, vaam and German Faden ‘six feet’. The original sense was ‘something which embraces’, (plural) ‘the outstretched arms’; hence, a unit of measurement based on the span of the outstretched arms, later standardized to six feet.Definitions on the go
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
Check pronunciation:
fathom