An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

An instrument which determines the altitude of an object with respect to a fixed level, such as sea level.

Etymology (EN): L. altus “high” + → -meter.

Etymology (PE): Farâzsanj, from farâz “above, over, aloft” + -sanj, → -meter; farâzyâb, from farâz + yâb “finder,” from yâbidan “to find, discover, obtain.”