barometer

American  

[buh-rom-i-ter] / bəˈrɒm ɪ tər /

noun

• barometers
  plural

1. Meteorology. any instrument that measures atmospheric pressure.

2. anything that indicates changes.

---

barometer British  

/ 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

---

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.

---

barometer Cultural  

1. An instrument that measures atmospheric pressure.

---

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

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• barometers
  plural

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

See Examples For:

barometer barometers

As Disney obsessives, my friends and I know theme parks, but had no barometer for what to expect from … a celebrity-themed one.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

Its earnings still serve as a barometer of the health of the AI ecosystem.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026

For Celtic, with all the advantages they hold over most others in Scotland, the true barometer is Europe.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

Industrial production, a barometer for the strength of the eurozone’s exporters, was flat in June, but had increased every prior month since February, separate Eurostat data published Thursday showed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

The barometer displayed the pressure of the air on the skin.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Both are considered barometers for the economy’s health.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

Breach described High Streets as one of the most "visible barometers" of how a local economy is faring, saying where High Streets are performing badly voters expect intervention which requires more than cosmetic change.

From BBC ● May 2, 2026

Corporate credit spreads — one of the most closely watched market barometers of economic stress — have remained relatively tame.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 7, 2026

And special elections, while useful metrics, are far from perfect barometers of public opinion.

From Salon ● Mar. 1, 2026

Extra clothes, books, scientific instruments and specimens, chess sets, flags, lanterns, tools, sewing kits, lucky talismans, razors, barometers, combs, scissors, playing cards, dishes, silverware, photographs—each man added to the heap.

From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong