clock etymology

Etymology

  • Middle English: clokke, from Old English: clucge
  • Germanic origin: Proto-Germanic *klukkō, which may be related to *klut- ("lump, ball")

Meaning

  • A device that measures and displays time, typically using a mechanism with a rotating hand or hands indicating hours, minutes, and often seconds.
  • A period of time, especially a particular hour or hour of the day, usually indicated by the position of a clock hand.

Origin

  • The earliest known clocks, called "water clocks" or "clepsydras," were invented in ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Mesopotamia, and China. These devices measured time by the flow of water from a reservoir into a graduated container.
  • Mechanical clocks, which used gears and weights or springs to power a rotating hand, first appeared in the 13th century. Clocks became widespread in the 14th century, helping to improve navigation, astronomy, and other fields.
  • The first pendulum clocks were invented in the 17th century by Christian Huygens, significantly improving the accuracy of timekeeping.
  • In the 19th century, the electric clock was invented, and in the 20th century, quartz clocks and atomic clocks revolutionized timekeeping with their exceptional precision.
  • Today, clocks come in a vast array of designs and sizes, from wristwatches to tower clocks, each serving a specific purpose and catering to different needs.

clock relate terms

  • clepsydra

    Etymology and Meaning The word clepsydra comes from the Greek words kleptes meaning

  • kleptomania

    Etymology Derived from the Greek words kleptes thief and mania madness Meanin

  • meal

    Etymology The word meal comes from the Old English word mæl which originally meant

  • piecemeal

    Etymology Piecemeal is a compound word derived from two Old English words piece

  • cloak

    Etymology Middle English cloke from Old English cloca Proto West Germanic klukkōn

  • time

    Etymology Old English tîma time period hour West Germanic tîmon Proto Germanic

  • horology

    Etymology and Origin The word horology comes from the Greek words hōra ώρα me

  • grandfather

    Etymology Old English grandfæder or grandmoder Middle English grauntfadir or

  • Punch

    Etymology The word punch has several origins Old Irish bun a drink Anglo India

  • minute

    Etymology The word minute has its roots in the Latin word minutus meaning small o

  • mantel

    Etymology From Middle French mantel from Old French mantel from Late Latin mantellum

  • item

    Item Etymology Latin item also likewise besides Meaning A single or individ

  • mite

    Etymology The word mite comes from the Old English word mite which in turn is deriv

  • measure

    Etymology Measure derives from Old French mesure which ultimately originated from th