Altimeter
/ˈæl.tɪˌmiː.tər/noun
An instrument used to measure altitude, especially the height of an aircraft above sea level or ground level.
Did you know?Altimeter was coined in the 19th century from Latin roots meaning “high” and “to measure,” making it a perfectly engineered scientific word rather than an ancient mystical one.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
altus
“high, deep, lofty”
Ancient Greek
Greek
metron
“measure”
19th Century
French/English
altimètre
“an instrument for measuring height”
Late 19th Century
English
altimeter
“a device for measuring altitude”