Thermometer
/θərˈmɒmɪtər/noun
An instrument used to measure temperature.
Did you know?The second half comes from Greek metron, “measure,” the same ancient root behind words like geometry and barometer, so this is part of a family of words built to quantify the invisible.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
thermē
“heat”
Ancient Greek
Greek
metron
“measure”
17th Century
French
thermomètre
“an instrument for measuring heat or temperature”
17th Century
English
thermometer
“a device for measuring temperature”
Modern English
English
thermometer
“an instrument used to measure temperature”