noun · verb · 18 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˈfað(ə)m/
General-American:/ˈfæðəm/
dialectal, obsolete:/ˈfædəm/
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:F AE1 DH AH0 M
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A man's armspan, generally reckoned to be six feet (about 1.8 metres). Later used to measure the depth of water, but now generally replaced by the metre outside American usage.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, historical
Topics: nautical, transport
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A man's armspan, generally reckoned to be six feet (about 1.8 metres). Later used to measure the depth of water, but now generally replaced by the metre outside American usage.
An internationally standardized version of this unit, the international fathom (= 1.8288 metres = 6 feet).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, historical
Topics: nautical, transport
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A measure of distance to shore: the nearest point to shore at which the water depth is the value quoted.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US
Topics: nautical, transport
Examples
After we'd rowed for an hour, we found ourselves stranded ten fathoms from shore.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
An unspecified depth.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, in-plural
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
Depth of insight; mental reach or scope.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, figuratively, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
The act of stretching out one's arms away from the sides of the torso so that they make a straight line perpendicular to the body.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
Someone or something that is embraced.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
Control, grasp.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
verb
Meaning 9
To measure the depth of (water); to take a sounding of; to sound.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: also, figuratively, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
verb
Meaning 10
To encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; specifically, to measure the circumference or (rare) length of something.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
verb
Meaning 11
Often followed by out: to deeply understand (someone or something); to get to the bottom of.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, transitive
Examples
I can’t for the life of me fathom what this means.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: figure out, puzzle out, work out
Antonyms: none provided
12
verb
Meaning 12
To embrace (someone or something).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
13
verb
Meaning 13
To measure a depth; to sound.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
14
verb
Meaning 14
To conduct an examination or inquiry; to investigate.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
15
noun
Meaning 15
(mining) a unit of volume (equal to 6 cubic feet) used in measuring bodies of ore
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: fthm
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: volume unit, capacity unit, capacity measure, cubage unit, cubic measure, cubic content unit, displacement unit, cubature unit
16
noun
Meaning 16
a linear unit of measurement (equal to 6 feet) for water depth
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: fthm
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: linear unit, linear measure
17
verb
Meaning 17
measure the depth of (a body of water) with a sounding line
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: sound
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: quantify, measure
18
verb
Meaning 18
come to understand
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: penetrate, bottom
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: understand
History
Etymology
From Middle English fathome, fadom, fadme (“unit of length of about six feet; depth of six feet for nautical soundings; (loosely) cubit; ell”) [and other forms], from Old English fæþm, fæþme (“encircling or outstretched arms, bosom, embrace; envelopment; control, grasp, power; fathom (unit of measurement); cubit”) [and other forms], from Proto-West Germanic *faþm (“outstretched arms, embrace; fathom (unit of measurement)”), from Proto-Germanic *faþmaz (“outstretched arms, embrace; fathom (unit of measurement)”), from Proto-Indo-European *pet-, *peth2- (“to spread out; to fly”). Cognates * Ancient Greek πέταλος (pétalos, “broad; flat”), πετᾰ́ννῡμῐ (petắnnūmĭ, “to open; to spread out; to be dispersed or scattered”) (whence English petal) * Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌸𐌰 (faþa, “fench; hedge”) * Latin pateō (“to extend, increase; to be accessible, attainable, open; to be exposed, vulnerable”) * Low German fadem, faem (“cubit; thread”) * Middle Dutch vadem (modern Dutch vaam, vadem (“fathom”)) * Norwegian Bokmål favn (“an embrace; a fathom”) * Old Frisian fethm (“outstretched arms”) * Old High German fadam, fadum (“cubit”) (Middle High German vade (“enclosure”), vadem, vaden, modern German Faden (“fathom; filament, thread”)) * Old Norse faþmr (Danish favn (“an embrace; a fathom”), Icelandic faðmur (“an embrace”), Swedish famn (“the arms, bosom; an embrace”)) * Old Welsh etem (“thread”)
Across languages
Translations
180 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Aklanon:
dupa
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Arabic:
قامة
(qāma)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Bulgarian:
фатом
(fatom)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Bulgarian:
клафтер
(klafter)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Catalan:
braça
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Cebuano:
dupa
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Chinese Mandarin:
英寻
(yīngxún)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Chinese Mandarin:
英尋 /英寻
(yīngxún)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Czech:
sáh
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Danish:
favn
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Dutch:
vadem
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Erzya:
сэль
(sëľ)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Esperanto:
klafto
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Estonian:
süld
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Faroese:
favnur
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Finnish:
syli
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
French:
brasse
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
French:
toise
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Galician:
braza
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Georgian:
საზღვაო საჟენი
(sazɣvao saženi)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Georgian:
ზღვის საჟენი
(zɣvis saženi)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
German:
Faden
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
German:
Klafter
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Greek:
οργιά
(orgiá)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Ancient Greek:
ὀργυιά
(orguiá)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Hebrew:
פַאדוֹם
(fadom)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Hebrew:
אַמַּת יָם
(amat yam)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Higaonon:
dupa
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Hungarian:
öl
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Icelandic:
faðmur
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Ilocano:
deppa
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Irish:
feá
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Isnag:
dappa
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Italian:
braccio
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Japanese:
ファゾム
(fazomu)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Japanese:
尋
(hiro)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Malay:
depa
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Mansaka:
dupa
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Māori:
aronui
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Māori:
mārō
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Māori:
whanganga
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Norman:
brache
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Occitan:
braça
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Persian:
باز
(bāz)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Persian:
باژ
(bāž)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Persian:
بازه
(bāze)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Polish:
sążeń
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Portuguese:
braça
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Romanian:
fathom
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Romanian:
braț
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Romanian:
stânjen marin
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Russian:
фадом
(fadom)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Russian:
фатом
(fatom)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Russian:
морская са́жень
(morskaja sáženʹ)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Sanskrit:
व्याम
(vyāma)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Serbo-Croatian:
хва̑т)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Serbo-Croatian:
hvȃt
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Slovak:
siaha
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Slovene:
seženj
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Spanish:
braza
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Swedish:
famn
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Tagalog:
dipa
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Telugu:
బార
(bāra)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Tetum:
roha
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Thai:
วา
(waa)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Tocharian B:
keṣe
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Turkish:
kulaç
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Ottoman Turkish:
قولاچ
(kulaç)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Ukrainian:
фатом
(fatom)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Ukrainian:
сажень
(saženʹ)
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Welsh:
gwrhyd
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Welsh:
gwryd
— measure of six feet — see also brace, toise
Bulgarian:
дълбочина
(dǎlbočina)
— depth of insight, mental reach or scope
Tagalog:
tarok
— depth of insight, mental reach or scope
Catalan:
sondejar
— to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound
Czech:
měřit hloubku
— to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound
Finnish:
luodata
— to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound
French:
comprendre
— to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound
French:
saisir
— to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound
French:
s'imaginer
— to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound
German:
ausloten
— to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound
German:
loten
— to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound
German:
sondieren
— to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound
Ido:
sondar
— to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound
Portuguese:
sondar
— to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound
Romanian:
măsura
— to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound
Romanian:
sonda
— to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound
Russian:
де́лать проме́р лотом
(délatʹ promér lotom)
— to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound
Russian:
измеря́ть
(izmerjátʹ)
— to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound
Slovene:
izmeriti
— to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound
Spanish:
sondar
— to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound
Spanish:
sondear
— to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound
Spanish:
fondear
— to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound
Spanish:
hondear
— to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound
Spanish:
asondar
— to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound
Swedish:
loda
— to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound
Turkish:
kulaçlamak
— to measure the depth of (water) — see also sound
Catalan:
abraçar
— to encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; to measure the circumference or length of something
Finnish:
syleillä
— to encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; to measure the circumference or length of something
Galician:
abrazar
— to encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; to measure the circumference or length of something
German:
umarmen
— to encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; to measure the circumference or length of something
Hungarian:
átölel
— to encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; to measure the circumference or length of something
Occitan:
abraçar
— to encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; to measure the circumference or length of something
Romanian:
apuca
— to encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; to measure the circumference or length of something
Romanian:
îmbrățișa
— to encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; to measure the circumference or length of something
Russian:
обхватить
(obxvatitʹ)
— to encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; to measure the circumference or length of something
Slovak:
objať
— to encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; to measure the circumference or length of something
Slovak:
obsiahnuť
— to encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; to measure the circumference or length of something
Slovene:
objeti
— to encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; to measure the circumference or length of something
Spanish:
abrazar
— to encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; to measure the circumference or length of something
Swedish:
famna om
— to encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; to measure the circumference or length of something
Swedish:
omfamna
— to encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; to measure the circumference or length of something
Turkish:
kulaçlamak
— to encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; to measure the circumference or length of something
Ottoman Turkish:
قولاچلامق
(kulaçlamak)
— to encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; to measure the circumference or length of something
Ukrainian:
обхопити
(obxopyty)
— to encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; to measure the circumference or length of something
Ukrainian:
обійняти
(obijnjaty)
— to encircle (someone or something) with outstretched arms; to measure the circumference or length of something
Bulgarian:
проумявам
(proumjavam)
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Bulgarian:
проумея
(proumeja)
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Bulgarian:
разбирам
(razbiram)
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Bulgarian:
разбера
(razbera)
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Catalan:
comprendre
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Chinese Cantonese:
理解
(lei5 gaai2)
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Czech:
porozumět do hloubky
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Czech:
proniknout
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Czech:
pochopit
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Czech:
přijít na kloub
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Danish:
begribe
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Danish:
fatte
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Dutch:
begrijpen
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Dutch:
bevroeden
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Dutch:
snappen
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Dutch:
vatten
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Estonian:
aru saama
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Estonian:
hoomama
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Estonian:
mõistma
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Finnish:
käsittää
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
French:
comprendre
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
French:
saisir
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Georgian:
ჩასწვდება
(časc̣vdeba)
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Georgian:
სწვდება
(sc̣vdeba)
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
German:
begreifen
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
German:
ergründen
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
German:
verstehen
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Gothic:
𐌼𐌹𐍄𐍉𐌽
(mitōn)
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Hungarian:
kifürkész
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Hungarian:
kitalál
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Hungarian:
megért
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Hungarian:
rájön
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Italian:
capire
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Italian:
comprendere
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Portuguese:
compreender
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Romanian:
înțelege
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Romanian:
pătrunde
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Russian:
иссле́довать
(isslédovatʹ)
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Russian:
осознава́ть
(osoznavátʹ)
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Russian:
понима́ть
(ponimátʹ)
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Russian:
постигать
(postigatʹ)
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Russian:
расследовать
(rassledovatʹ)
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Russian:
разузнавать
(razuznavatʹ)
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Russian:
выясня́ть
(vyjasnjátʹ)
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Russian:
вруби́ться
(vrubítʹsja)
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Slovak:
obsiahnuť
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Slovak:
pochopiť
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Slovak:
zvládnuť
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Slovene:
dognati
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Spanish:
ahondar
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Spanish:
profundizar
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Spanish:
sondar
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Spanish:
sondear
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Spanish:
fondear
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Spanish:
hondear
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Spanish:
asondar
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Spanish:
desentrañar
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Swedish:
begripa
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Swedish:
fatta
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Swedish:
förstå
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Ukrainian:
осягати
(osjahaty)
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Ukrainian:
збагнути
(zbahnuty)
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Ukrainian:
усвідомлювати
(usvidomljuvaty)
— to deeply understand (someone or something)
Ukrainian:
здогадуватися
(zdohaduvatysja)
— to deeply understand (someone or something)