# What is bathometrics? (bathimetrics?)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-bathometrics-bathimetrics/138150>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 22, 2002, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-bathometrics-bathimetrics/138150 "2002-11-22T14:55:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-bathometrics-bathimetrics/138150/1 "2002-11-22T14:55:49Z")

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I couldn’t find this word in my dictionary. It has something to do with Naval architecture. I WAG it has something to do with a ship’s signature in the water, whether a sonar sig or a ship’s wake, I’m not sure… It could be exclusive to submarines, but again, I am not sure of this. Anyone familiar with this term?

Thanks

- Jinx

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**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-bathometrics-bathimetrics/138150/2 "2002-11-22T15:02:21Z")

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From [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com):

> [@](#):
>
> \*\*bathymetric
> 
> \Bath`y*met"ric\, Bathymetrical \Bath`y_met"ric_al, a. Pertaining to bathymetry; relating to the measurement of depths, especially of depths in the sea.\*\*

A bathymetric contour chart shows the relief of the ocean floor (or the floor of any body of water, for that mater). Naval architects would have to be sensitive to the bathymetric contours of whatever bodies of water in which their vessel is intended to travel.