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

It will serve as a barometer of what will happen across the rest of the central belt.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

Catholics have long served as a barometer of acceptance for newcomers and the working class.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

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

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

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

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

Pascal’s Puy-de-Dôme experiment explained the height of the mercury in a barometer by showing that it was directly related to the weight of the air.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton