Pedometer

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /pɪˈdɑmətɚ/

Definitions

1. A device used to tally steps taken during movement, enabling the monitoring of physical activity levels and distance covered by an individual
2. An instrument designed to count the number of steps a person takes, facilitating the evaluation of their walking distance and overall movement activity
3. A tool worn on the body that tracks how many steps someone walks to help assess exercise levels

Etymology: The pedometer's name is built from parts that come from different ancient languages. The first half, "pedo-", comes from Latin "pēs," meaning foot, and the second half, "-meter," comes from Greek and means measure. Put together, the name says plainly what the device does: it measures the distance covered on foot. The French form "pédomètre" was the version that passed into English, and the word has since spread through other languages in similar shapes. French now uses "podomètre," with the vowel altered, and Greek has "podómetro," which keeps the Greek element more visibly. Each form is a fresh combination of old building blocks rather than an ancient word handed down.

Synonyms: step counter, distance measurer