The Global Etymological Roots Behind Words That Define the Measurement of Time

Linguist Rob Watts of RobWords explored the etymological roots behind words that define and count the measurement of time, noting that the global influences of each. Included in this list are watch, clock, o’clock, minute, hour, times of day (morning, noon, dawn, dusk), days of of the week, month, year.

Time. You’re experiencing it right now. But have you ever taken a second to stop and ask, Why is a second spelt the same as second [place]? Why is a minute spelt the same as “minute” [tiny]? Was an hour ever actually a H-our? And what exactly do we  watch when we watch a watch?

Watts also includes such defunct terms as overmorrow (the day after tomorrow) and ereyesterday (the day before yesterday)

We used to have a  word for “the day after tomorrow”, a concept that currently requires  four words to get across. The defunct designation  “overmorrow” was far superior. …And then, they day after we’ve brought  back the word for the day after tomorrow, we’re going to bring back the  word for the day before yesterday, which by that point will be today, won’t it? Anyway, the word we lost was ereyesterday