Weather Words – Anemometer

Hello,

This week’s word, thanks to my current writing project (“Words the Weather Gave Us”), is a windy one – the anemometer. I hope you enjoy this early draft extract.

Extract from “Words the Weather Gave Us” by Grace Tierney, copyright 2022

An anemometer is a tool used to measure windspeed and direction. One is found in most weather recording stations. The earliest description of one is by the Italian architect Leon Battista Alberti (1404-1472) in 1450 but many scientists and inventors have refined the device since then.

Rolling waves at my local beach on a very windy day

The basic form has three or four hemispherical cups on horizontal arms mounted on a vertical shaft. The wind flowing past the cups turns the shaft at a rate roughly in line with the windspeed so counting the revolutions of the shaft over a time interval provides an average windspeed. It needs to be adjusted for drag, torque, and positioned correctly (i.e. not sheltered by buildings) but that’s the general idea. They are vital kit for airports, wind turbines, and weather stations and come in a wide variety of forms.

The word anemometer arrived in English in the early 1700s. It’s compounded from anemo (wind) and meter (measuring device). Meter comes from the Greek word metron (measure). Anemo comes from the Greek word anemos (wind). Anemos arose from a Proto-Indo-European root word ane (to breathe).

Ane forms part of many English words such as anemone, animate, animal, animosity, and equanimity. It is believed to have provided the roots of words in many other languages too such as animus in Latin (soul, life, consciousness), anadl (breath) in Welsh, animn (soul) in Old Irish (in modern Irish soul is anam but name is ainm, which is curious), anda (to breathe) in Old Norse and many others related to breathing and soul.

We may not be able to measure our souls, but using an anemometer weather forecasters can record the breathing of the planet, the wind.

{end of extract}

Until next time, happy reading, writing, and wordfooling,
Grace (@Wordfoolery)

p.s. It’s day seven of the 30 days NaNoWriMo 2022 writing challenge and I’m on 13,048 words.

p.p.s. My intention is to remain on Twitter but if you’re worried about missing my word history chatter there, your best bet is to subscribe to this blog. There’s a Sign Me Up button at the top of the sidebar if you’re on a laptop, or tap the Follow button at the bottom of your phone screen.