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Glite Dictionary
fathometer

fathometer

1 9.9
A device that uses sound waves to measure the depth of water
  • noun
  • /ˈfæðəˌmoʊtər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : fathómetro
  • To avoid running aground, the captain constantly monitored the fathometer during the night navigation.

Examples

  • Sonar Con, set fathometer to automatic sounding every ten seconds.

    2010: Moby Dick (2010)

  • Take over, I'll check the fathometer.

    The Three Stooges in Orbit (1962)

  • An Echotee CV950 VDU fathometer was available for depth determination.

    Academic text (1992)

  • Sensitive fathometers became widely used around this time and may have aided skippers in locating schools of pelagic rockfish (Smith, 1979).

    Academic text (1995)

  • The fisherman relied on the fathometer to find the best spots to catch fish in the deep waters.

  • During the dive expedition, we used the fathometer to measure the depth of the ocean floor.

Synonyms

depth finder
vsfathometer
  • Specialized
1 5.0

A device that shows how deep the water is

specifies ultrasound waves as the measurement method
echo sounder
vsfathometer
  • Specialized
1 5.3

A device that measures water depth by sending sound and timing the echo

uses ultrasonic waves rather than general sound pulse timing
sonic depth finder
vsfathometer
  • Specialized
7.6

A device that uses sound waves to measure how deep water or things under it are

is a standard technical name but otherwise identical in meaning
bathometer
vsfathometer
  • Archaic
9.9

A tool that measures how deep water is, for example in the sea or a lake

adds that measurements use ultrasonic waves not general methods
bathymeter
vsfathometer
  • Specialized
9.9

An instrument that measures how deep water is in the sea or lakes

focuses on ultrasonic waves rather than general depth naming

Surface Forms

fathometer singular
fathometers plural

Morphology

fathometer = fathom (semi-transparent) = fathom + meter

The word is transparently built from 'fathom' + '-meter' as a depth-measuring instrument, but the modern ultrasonic technology and specialized sense are not fully predictable from the parts.

Etymology

Fathometer combines fathom and -meter. A fathom once meant 'outstretched arms' used long ago to measure water depth, and -meter means 'measure', as in speedometer, so a fathometer is an instrument that measures how deep the water is.