fathom
UK: ˈfaðəm | US: ˈfæðəm
n. a unit of length equal to six feet (1.8288 meters), used chiefly in measuring water depth
vt. to understand or comprehend something deeply
fathom = fath<to embrace, stretch arms> + om<noun suffix>
- fath (Old English fæðm, meaning "to embrace, stretch arms" – originally referring to the span of outstretched arms, later standardized as a measurement)
- om (a nominal suffix forming concrete nouns)
Etymology Origin:
The word fathom traces back to Old English fæðm, which described the act of embracing or the span of outstretched arms (a natural way to measure rope or depth). By the 1600s, it standardized to six feet—the approximate length of a sailor’s arm span. The verb sense ("to comprehend") metaphorically extended from "measuring depth" to "grasping meaning."
The shipwreck lies at a depth of 30 fathoms.
She couldn’t fathom why he left without explanation.
Ancient sailors used ropes marked in fathoms to measure sea depth.
His motives are too complex to fathom easily.
The submarine descended to 50 fathoms below the surface.