volume

Definitions

From volvere (to roll): a Roman 'volume' was literally a rolled scroll. From 'a rolled-up book' it became 'one book in a set,' then the amount of space a thing fills (how big the rolled bundle is), and finally loudness — how much sound fills a room. One word, four senses, all tracing back to a rolled scroll.

Why It Means This

The thread connecting volume's senses is the rolled scroll. A scroll is a book (one volume); how much it holds when rolled is its bulk (volume of space); a big bulk is a large quantity (volume of sales); and loudness was imagined as sound 'filling' that space. Knowing it started as a physical roll makes the jump from 'a book' to 'how loud' feel natural.

Example Sentences

• 1.

  Please turn down the volume; the music is too loud.

• 2.

  We calculated the volume of the tank in cubic meters.

• 3.

  The library owns all twelve volumes of the encyclopedia.