Word
Definitions
01measuring device
A2 · Elementary Countable noun
n. a device that measures and records the amount of something used, such as gas, water, or electricity.
n. an instrument used to measure and record the quantity or rate of flow of a substance or energy.
日本語:メーター、計量器※
“The technician came to read the electric meter in the basement.”
“The utility company installed a smart meter to provide real-time data on household energy consumption and peak usage patterns.”
02unit of length
A1 · Beginner Countable noun Science American English
n. a unit of length equal to 100 centimetres.
n. the SI base unit of length, equivalent to approximately 39.37 inches.
“The fabric is one meter wide and three meters long.”
“The Olympic swimming pool is exactly fifty meters in length, meeting the international standards for competitive racing.”
Usage
Spelt 'metre' in British English and most other varieties of English.
Pitfall
The table is two meter long.
The table is two meters long.
When used as a noun with a number greater than one, 'meter' must be plural.
03rhythm in music or poetry
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Music American English
n. the regular pattern of beats in a piece of music or a poem.
n. the rhythmic structure of a verse or musical composition, determined by the arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables or beats.
Español:métrica
“The poem has a very fast meter that makes it sound like a song.”
“The composer experimented with an irregular meter, intentionally disrupting the listener's expectations of a standard four-four time signature.”
Teaching tip
In British English, this sense is also spelt 'metre'.
04to measure or regulate
C1 · Advanced Technical
v. to measure something with a device or to control how much of something flows out.
v. to measure by means of a meter or to regulate the delivery of a substance in specific amounts.
“The pump is designed to meter the chemicals into the water tank slowly.”
“The system is calibrated to meter the oxygen supply precisely, ensuring the environment remains stable throughout the duration of the experiment.”
Usage
Often used in engineering or industrial contexts regarding fluid or power flow.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “meter” in context.
Real-World Examples
“Single-dish telescopes are as large as 1,640 feet (500 meters) across .” “There is a taller statue of the Virgin Mary in the Philippines, which measures 98 metres.” “The men's 4x400 metres relay team came sixth in their heat, and miss out on the final.” Etymology
From Middle English metere (“one who measures, measurer”), perhaps (with change in suffix) from Old English metend (“one who measures or metes”), equivalent to mete (“to measure”) + -er. The transference from "person who measures" to "device that measures" was probably assisted by association with -meter, as in barometer, etc. Cognate with Scots mettar, metter (“meter, measurer”), Saterland Frisian Meter, Meeter (“measurer, measuring device, gauge”), West Frisian mjitter (“measurer”), Dutch meter (“measurer, gauge”), German Low German Meter (“measuring device, gauge”), German Messer (“measurer, measuring device, gauge”), Swedish mätare (“measurer”).
Borrowed from French mètre, itself borrowed from Latin metrum, borrowed from Ancient Greek μέτρον (métron).
From Middle English meter, metre, from Old English meter and Old French metre; both from Latin metrum, from Ancient Greek μέτρον (métron).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Idioms
01. feed the meter
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/meter
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
‘외래어’ data: 한국어기초사전 (국립국어원), CC BY-SA 2.0 KR
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0