Digit. Palm. Hand. Foot.
Many names of measurements come from parts of the body. This is because in ancient times, people didn’t have tape measures or rulers to take along with them, but they did have their bodies. Therefore, they developed units of measure that related to their bodies.
While these units of measure may not have been entirely accurate—one man’s hand can be different from another’s—they did serve their purpose. And over time, various world leaders and other important people established set lengths for these measurements which we use today.
Meanings Behind the Names of Measurements
Inch: Comes from the Old English word ince which was derived from the Latin uncia. In 1150, King David I of Scotland defined it as the width of a man’s thumb. In the 14th century, King Edward II decided that an inch was the length of three barley grains placed end to end.
Digit: A digit is the width of a finger. It’s roughly 3/4 of an inch.
Palm: As you’d expect, a palm is the width of a hand. It’s about 3 inches.
Hand: This is the width of a hand plus the thumb. It’s approximately 4 inches.
Cubit: A cubit is the length of the forearm from the tip of the elbow to the end of the middle finger. It’s about 18 inches.
Foot: In some ancient cultures, a foot was the length of a man’s foot which was about 12 inches. In ancient Rome, however, a foot was the length of 4 palms.
Yard: The word yard comes from the Saxon word gird which was the distance around a person’s waist. Early Saxon kings used to wear a girdle or sash around their waists which was sometimes used as tool for measuring. In the 12th century, however, tradition states that King Henry I of England set the yard as the distance between his nose and thumb of his outstretched arm. Today, a yard is 3 feet.
Fathom: This is the distance between the tips of the middle fingers when a man extends his hands out on either side of his body. It is about 6 feet.
Pace: In ancient Rome, this was measured as the length of a double step taken by Roman soldiers which was about 5 feet. Today, it is the length of a single step which is roughly 2 1/2 feet.
Mile: Originally, a mile was measured out to be the distance of a thousand paces—Roman paces, that is. Today, the mile is measured as 5,280 feet.
League: This is the distance that a person can see across a level field. It’s approximately 3 miles.
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