barometer

American  

[buh-rom-i-ter] / bəˈrɒm ɪ tər /

noun

1. Meteorology. any instrument that measures atmospheric pressure.

2. anything that indicates changes.

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barometer British  

/ ˌbærəˈmɛtrɪk, bəˈrɒmɪtə /

noun

1. an instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure, usually to determine altitude or weather changes

2. anything that shows change or impending change

   the barometer of social change

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barometer Scientific  

/ bə-rŏm′ĭ-tər /

1. An instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure. Barometers are used in determining height above sea level and in forecasting the weather. The two primary types of barometers are the aneroid and the mercury barometer.

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barometer Cultural  

1. An instrument that measures atmospheric pressure.

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Discover More

In general, when the barometer falls in response to a drop in pressure, bad weather is approaching; when the barometer rises because of an increase in pressure, good weather will follow.

Other Word Forms

• barometric adjective
• barometrical adjective
• barometrically adverb
• barometry noun

Etymology

Origin of barometer

First recorded in 1655–65; baro- + -meter

Explanation

A barometer is a device that measures atmospheric pressure. Barometers help meteorologists figure out what the weather is going to be like. Sure, it's technically a weather man's tool — but you can use barometer more generally to describe anything that can be used to forecast or measure something else. The stock market is a barometer for economic health. Your grades are a barometer of how you're doing in school. For the President, a national poll is a barometer of political success. These kinds of barometers tell which way the wind is blowing — just not literally.

Example Sentences

The latter seems to be the best financial barometer of the state of the crisis.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

Legislative sessions are still underway in some states, and he pointed to Florida as a potential barometer for where laws on election administration might go in the months and years ahead.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

Consumer confidence fell two points to minus 21 in March, the lowest point since April last year, according to research group GfK’s barometer, published Friday with the Nuremberg Institute for Market Decisions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

"That's the barometer... the gas prices for the general public."

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

Kabuo, his radio on, checked his barometer; it still held steady despite talk of rough weather, cold squalls of sleet reported to the north, out of the Strait of Georgia.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson