Historical
measures
Unit
Original
measure
Measure
today
Finger
(digit)
Width
of
a
finger
1.91
cm
Inch,
unch
or
uncia
Width
of
the
thumb.
Later,
three
grains
2.54
cm
Hand
Distance
across
the
width
of
a
hand.
Also,
four
fingers.
10.16
cm
Span
Distance
between
the
tip
of
the
thumb
and
the
tip
of
the
little
finger
with
the
hand
stretched
out
22.86
cm
Cubit
Distance
from
the
elbow
to
the
tip
of
the
middle
finger
(cubitum
is
Latin
for
‘elbow’)
50.8
cm
Yard
Length
of
a
particular
type
of
belt.
Later,
the
distance
from
the
chin
or
nose
90
cm
Foot
Length
of
adult
male’s
foot
30.48
cm