smoot

English

Etymology 1

Derives from the height of Oliver R. Smoot, who had lain on the Harvard Bridge to measure it as a fraternity prank at MIT.

Pronunciation

  • enPR: smo͞ot
  • IPA(key): /smuːt/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)
  • Rhymes: -uːt

Noun

smoot (plural smoots)

  1. (humorous, chiefly Greater Boston) A unit of length defined as exactly sixty-seven inches (approximately 1.70 meters).

Further reading

Etymology 2

From Middle English *smote, *smotte, from Old Norse smátta (“narrow passageway, gap”), from Proto-Germanic *smēhtǭ (“narrow path”), from Proto-Germanic *smēhaz (“small, narrow”).

Alternative forms

Noun

smoot (plural smoots)

  1. (British, dialectal) A small opening built into a dry-stone wall, fence, or hedge to allow sheep (and hares) to pass through; a thirl.

Anagrams

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