Where does “fathom” come from?
Fathom comes from Middle English fathome, from Old English fæþm, from Proto-Germanic faþmaz, from Proto-Indo-European pat-.
fathom (English): Grasp, envelopment, control; An English unit of...
Definitions
- Grasp, envelopment, control; An English unit of...
Ancestry of “fathom”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | fathome | — |
| 2 | Old English | fæþm | the outstretched arms; embrace, bosom;... |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | *faþm | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | faþmaz | outstretched arms; embrace; fathom |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | pat- | to feed; path; to go |
Words derived from “fathom”