Smoot
//smuːt// name, noun
name, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A unit of length defined as exactly sixty-seven inches (approximately 1.70 meters). humorous
- 2 A small opening built into a dry-stone wall, fence, or hedge to allow sheep (and hares) to pass through; a thirl. British, dialectal
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Derives from the height of Oliver R. Smoot, who had lain on the Harvard Bridge to measure it as a fraternity prank at MIT.
Etymology 2
From Middle English *smote, *smotte, from Old Norse smátta (“narrow passageway, gap”), from Proto-Germanic *smēhtǭ (“narrow path”), from Proto-Germanic *smēhaz (“small, narrow”).
Etymology 3
Likely from the Dutch smout, someone who sold or worked with animal fat.
Related phrases
More for "smoot"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.