Etymo

barometer

An instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure.

Played on · Day 9 · word 1 of 5

Measuring the weight of the air.

How barometer reached English

oldest first

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Greek

  • baros‘weight / pressure’
  • metron‘measure’

combined

  1. English

    barometer

    ‘An instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure.’

The story of barometer

Barometer combines the Greek-derived baro- with a measuring element. The first piece concerns weight or pressure. Weather prediction is an application of that measurement, rather than the literal meaning of the name.

This view explains the components. They are pieces of one construction, not consecutive borrowing stages.

Sources

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