Etymology

micrometer

M3I1C3R1O1M3E1T1E1R1

Today it means: A device used to measure distance very precisely but within a limited range, especially depth, thickness, and diameter. Full definition →

French micromètre
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micrometer · noun1

  1. French · derived frommicromètre
  2. English todaymicrometer

From French micromètre, equivalent to micro- + -meter.

micrometer · noun2

  1. Proto-Indo-European*mey-der.?
  2. Ancient Greekμῑκρός (mīkrós)
  3. Ancient Greekμῑκρο- (mīkro-)
  4. Englishmicro-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*med-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*médeti
  7. Proto-Germanic*metaną
  8. Proto-West Germanic*metan
  9. Old Englishmetan
  10. Middle Englishmeten
  11. Middle Englishmetere
  12. Englishmeter
  13. English todaymicrometer

From micro- (“one millionth”) + meter.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.