Tachymetric

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to the measurement of distances or speeds using a tachymeter, this term also encompasses any devices or methods that enhance rapid topographic surveying and analysis
2. The concept involves techniques and instruments for achieving quick measurements of land features, such as elevations and angles, providing essential data for mapping
3. This term pertains to both the rapid assessment of distances or velocities and the various methodologies employed in topographic measurements for improved surveying efficiency

Etymology: "Tachymetric" is built from two Greek elements: "takhys", meaning "swift" or "quick", and "metron", meaning "measure". The first element appears in English in words such as "tachycardia" (a rapid heartbeat) and "tachometer" (an instrument for measuring speed of rotation), while the second gives us "metric", "meter" and "geometry". The adjective describes methods of surveying that use a tacheometer, an instrument that lets a surveyor measure distances quickly, usually by reading the scale of a telescope rather than laying out a chain or tape along the ground. The word therefore joins speed and measurement, which is exactly what the instrument was designed to deliver.