geometry

Pronunciation

• IPA: /d͡ʒiːˈɒm.ɪ.tɹi/, /ˈd͡ʒɒm.ɪ.tɹi/ (UK); /d͡ʒiˈɑ.mə.tɹi/ (US)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English geometrie, borrowed from Old French geometrie,^[2][3][4] from Latin geōmetria,^[2][3] from Ancient Greek γεωμετρία (geōmetría, “measurement of earth or land; geometry”),^[2][3] from γῆ (gê, “earth, land”) and -μετρία (-metría, “a measuring”) (see -metry), from μέτρον (métron, “measure”).^[2][3][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The mathematics of points, lines, surfaces and solids: in the OED from the 13th century, about 1330 in Barnhart, the early 14th century in Etymonline, also spelled gemetrie.^[6][2][3]

Semantic evolution

Old English used eorþcræft (“earth-craft”) as a loan-translation of the Latin word.^[3] In its etymological sense, the art of measuring ground, geometry is recorded from 1588.^[6] The relative arrangement of parts, as of a molecule, is from 1933.^[6] Geometrical is from 1392 and geometric from 1630.^[2]

Timeline

• 13th century – geometry.^[6]
• 1392 – geometrical.^[2]
• 1588 – the art of measuring land.^[6]
• 1630 – geometric.^[2]
• 1933 – arrangement, configuration.^[6]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. The branch of mathematics dealing with the properties, measurement and relations of points, lines, angles, surfaces and solids.
2. A particular system of geometry, as non-Euclidean geometry.
3. The shape or arrangement of the parts of something; configuration.

Word family

• geometrician
• geometrize
• affine geometry
• algebraic geometry
• analytic geometry
• descriptive geometry
• differential geometry
• Euclidean geometry

Related words

• gematria
• geometer
• geometric
• geography
• geology
• meter
• measure

Usage notes

In Yorkshire and Lincolnshire dialect out of geometry (jawmotry) meant out of shape and order.^[7]

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
3. ^ a b c d e f Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
5. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)