A Dutch unit of measurement equal to approximately one inch or the width of a human thumb.
From Old Dutch 'duim,' derived from Proto-Germanic '*thūmaz' (thumb). The word literally means 'thumb' and the measurement is based on the average width of a thumb, a common historical practice.
Before standardized measurements, every culture used body parts—Romans had the 'pollex,' Egyptians the 'digit'—because everybody carries their measuring tool with them!
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