# metric

/ˈmɛtɹɪk/ (US) · /mˈɛtɹɪk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/metric
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a standard of measurement

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic

a standard or way to measure how well something is doing.

For teachers: a standard of measurement for assessing or tracking performance, progress, or quality, particularly in business or engineering.

- The company uses customer satisfaction as a key metric for success.
- The marketing department analyzed several engagement metrics, including click-through rates and average session duration, to evaluate the campaign's effectiveness.

Usage: Often used with 'key' or 'performance'.

### 2. mathematical distance

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a mathematical rule used to find the distance between two points.

For teachers: a function that defines a distance between each pair of elements of a set, satisfying specific formal conditions like the triangle inequality.

- In this geometry, we use a different metric to calculate the distance.
- The researcher defined a custom metric on the data set to better represent the similarities between complex genomic sequences.

Usage: Used as a countable noun in mathematical contexts.

### 3. relating to the decimal system

adjective · CEFR B1

relating to the system of measurement that uses meters, grams, and liters.

For teachers: relating to the decimal-based system of weights and measures, specifically the International System of Units (SI).

- Most countries in the world use the metric system for daily life.
- The transition from imperial to metric units in the aerospace industry required a complete recalibration of all manufacturing equipment.

### 4. relating to musical rhythm

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

relating to the rhythm or beat of a piece of music.

For teachers: relating to the meter or rhythmic structure of a musical composition or poetic verse.

- The song has a complex metric structure that makes it hard to dance to.
- The composer experimented with metric modulation, shifting the pulse of the piece without changing the actual tempo of the performance.

### 5. to measure data

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical · Informal

to collect and study data to see how well a process is working.

For teachers: to measure or analyze statistical data regarding the quality or effectiveness of a specific process.

- We need to metric the new software to see if it is faster.
- The DevOps team decided to metric every stage of the deployment pipeline to identify where the latency was occurring.

## Examples

- The most important metric for our website is daily visitors.
- The marketing team analyzed every metric from the social media campaign to determine which platform provided the best return on investment.
- While profit remains a primary metric for success, modern corporations are increasingly pressured to report on environmental and social metrics to satisfy a broader range of stakeholders.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.