An old Portuguese unit of measurement for length, approximately 66 centimeters, used historically in trade and construction.
From Portuguese 'covado,' derived from Latin 'cubitum' (elbow or forearm), the same root as 'cubit.' The measurement was originally based on the length of a human forearm from elbow to fingertip.
Before meters and feet, people literally measured with their own bodies—a 'covado' was roughly one forearm length, which is why body-based measurements like cubits and ells appear in cultures worldwide.
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