shaftment

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noun

An obsolete unit of length defined as 6 inches, which equals 2 palms or ²⁄₃ span; today 6 inches equals exactly 15.24 cm. (Before the 12th century, a shaftment was defined as 6+¹⁄₂ inches.)

“A shaftment is the width of the palm and the outstretched thumb.”

OriginMiddle English schaftmonde ← Old English sċeaftmund →
Scrabble 17
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Meanings

nounshaftment (plural shaftments)

plural shaftments · alternative shaftmond · alternative shaftman · alternative shaftmound · alternative shaftmont · alternative shaftmon · alternative shafman · alternative shafmet · alternative shafnet

  1. An obsolete unit of length defined as 6 inches, which equals 2 palms or ²⁄₃ span; today 6 inches equals exactly 15.24 cm. (Before the 12th century, a shaftment was defined as 6+¹⁄₂ inches.)
  2. Traditionally the width of the fist and outstretched thumb.

    A shaftment is the width of the palm and the outstretched thumb.

Origin

  1. Old Englishsċeaftmund“a palm, a palm's length”
  2. Middle Englishschaftmonde
  3. Englishshaftment

From Middle English schaftmonde, from Old English sċeaftmund (“a palm, a palm's length”), equivalent to shaft + mound (“hand”).

More words from Middle English, Old English

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

shaftment. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shaftment

MLA

“shaftment.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shaftment. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “shaftment,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shaftment.

Source: shaftment on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.