thermometer

Term: thermometer

Literally meaning: "heat meausure"

Origin: Anc Greek

θερμός/thermos(=warm) >θέρω/thero(=to warm)

μέτρον/metron (=meausure)

Coined/History

The first crude clinical thermometer was invented by Italian Santorio Santorio who put a numerical scale on his thermoscope which was an early device of showing tempratures changes without scale.  Previously, Italian physicist and astronomer Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) had invented in 1597 a rumintary water thermoscope. Finally in 1654, the first enclosed liquid-in-a-glass thermometer was invented by the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Ferdinand II (1610-1670). However he used alcohol as liquid that made this thermometer inaccurate. The type of the first modern thermometer with mercury and standardized scale, was invented by German physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686-1736) in 1714. In 1724 he introduced the standard temperature scale known today with his name –Fahrenheit Scale which . In 1742 Swedish Astronomer Anders Celcius (1701-1744) invented the Celsius temperature scale which has 100 degrees between the freezing point (0⁰C) and boiling point (100⁰C) of pure water at see level air pressure.

Definition

Thermometer is an device to measure temperature using materials that change when they are heated or cooled.