A scale can be a device that measures weight, a series of musical notes in order, or the size or level of something compared to something else.
The weighing meaning comes from Old Norse “skál” meaning “bowl,” because early scales used hanging pans. The musical and size meanings come from Latin “scala” meaning “ladder” or “steps,” like steps up or down in size or pitch.
The idea of a “scale” in music and a “scale” in size are the same mental picture: steps going up or down. Whether it’s notes or numbers, your brain is climbing a little invisible ladder.
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