The word "fthm" is not a commonly used word in English, and its spelling may appear unusual to some. However, it is actually a shortened version of the word "fathom," which is defined as a unit of measurement for depth equal to six feet. The spelling of "fthm" reflects the omission of the vowels and serves as an abbreviation. Using the International Phonetic Alphabet, the pronunciation of "fthm" is /ˈfæðəm/.