Where does “clap-o-meter” come from?
clap-o-meter (English) comes from English clap, from Old French clapoir, from Old French clapier, from Old Occitan clapier, from Old Occitan clap, from Medieval Latin claperius.
Ancestry of “clap-o-meter”, step by step
clap-o-meter traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English clap
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | clap | The act of striking the palms of the hands, or... |
| 2 | Old French | clapoir | bubo, inflammation from infection |
| 3 | Old French | clapier | brothel |
| 4 | Old Occitan | clapier | rabbit hutch |
| 5 | Old Occitan | clap | heap of stones |
| 6 | Medieval Latin | claperius | — |
via English o-meter
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | o-meter | — |