noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1. 1
   An obsolete unit of length defined as 6 inches, which equals 2 palms or ²⁄₃ span; today 6 inches equals exactly 15.24 cm. (Before the 12th century, a shaftment was defined as 6+¹⁄₂ inches.)
2. 2
   Traditionally the width of the fist and outstretched thumb.

   "A shaftment is the width of the palm and the outstretched thumb."

Example

More examples

"A shaftment is the width of the palm and the outstretched thumb."

Etymology

From Middle English schaftmonde, from Old English sċeaftmund (“a palm, a palm's length”), equivalent to shaft + mound (“hand”).

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.