sesma

From Spanish sesma, from Latin sexta (“sixth”), from its use as a sixth of the vara (Spanish yard or rod).

sesma (plural sesmas)

1. (historical) A traditional Spanish unit of length, equivalent to about 13.9 cm.

• pulgada (¹⁄₆ sesma), coto (³⁄₄ sesma), palmo (1+¹⁄₂ sesmas), pie (2 sesmas), codo (3 sesmas), vara (6 sesmas)

Inherited from Latin sexta (“sixth”), altered by analogy with septima (“seventh”). Doublet of sexto and siesta. In related to the unit of length, from forming one-sixth of the vara (Spanish yard or rod).

• IPA^(key): /ˈsesma/ [ˈsez.ma]
• Rhymes: -esma
• Syllabification: ses‧ma

sesma f (plural sesmas)

1. (historical) sesma, half-foot (a traditional unit of length, equivalent to about 13.9 cm)

   Synonym: jeme

2. (historical) a subdivision of the kingdom of Aragón

• (unit of length): pulgada (¹⁄₆ sesma), coto (³⁄₄ sesma), palmo (1+¹⁄₂ sesmas), pie (2 sesmas), codo (3 sesmas), vara (6 sesmas)

• “sesmo”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.7, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2023 November 28