clepsydra

American  

[klep-si-druh] / ˈklɛp sɪ drə /

noun

plural

clepsydras, clepsydrae

1. an ancient device for measuring time by the regulated flow of water or mercury through a small aperture.

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clepsydra British  

/ ˈklɛpsɪdrə /

noun

1. Also called: water clock.  an ancient device for measuring time by the flow of water or mercury through a small aperture

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Etymology

Origin of clepsydra

1640–50; < Latin < Greek klepsýdra, equivalent to kleps- ( klep-, stem of kléptein to steal, conceal + -s- formative in derivation) + hydra, derivative of hýdōr water

Explanation

Drip, drip, drip. This used to be the sound of a clepsydra — a special water clock used by ancient civilizations. The clepsydra was an early and innovative way to keep track of time. It combines the Greek roots klept-, meaning "steal," and hydr-, meaning "water." The clepsydra worked by measuring time through the steady flow of water from one container to another — as if one container was gradually stealing water from the other. The clepsydra was used by the Greeks, Egyptians, and other ancient civilizations to time speeches, monitor cooking, and even keep time during court sessions.

Example Sentences

Empedocles performed his experiment with a household implement people had used for centuries, the so-called clepsydra or “water thief,” which was used as a kitchen ladle.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Either slow like the dripping of the remnants of water in a clepsydra.

From Hung Lou Meng, Book II Or, the Dream of the Red Chamber, a Chinese Novel in Two Books by Joly, H. Bencraft

It is pretty clear that the first request of the Burgundian King was for a clepsydra of some kind.

From The Letters of Cassiodorus Being A Condensed Translation Of The Variae Epistolae Of Magnus Aurelius Cassiodorus Senator by Hodgkin, Thomas

On this explanation, the purpose of the wheel would be merely to provide the manual adjustment necessary to set the angel from time to time, compensating for irremediable inaccuracies of the clepsydra.

From On the Origin of Clockwork, Perpetual Motion Devices, and the Compass by Price, Derek J. de Solla (Derek John de Solla)

From the middle of the seventh century a clepsydra of Chinese origin was used to mark the hours.

From A History of the Japanese People From the Earliest Times to the End of the Meiji Era by Brinkley, F. (Frank)