measurement

American  

[mezh-er-muhnt] / ˈmɛʒ ər mənt /

noun

• measurements
  plural

1. the act of measuring.

2. a measured dimension.

3. extent, size, etc., ascertained by measuring.

4. a system of measuring or measures.

   liquid measurement.

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measurement British  

/ ˈmɛʒəmənt /

noun

1. the act or process of measuring

2. an amount, extent, or size determined by measuring

3. a system of measures based on a particular standard

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measurement Scientific  

/ mĕzh′ər-mənt /

1. A method of determining quantity, capacity, or dimension. Several systems of measurement exist, each one comprising units whose amounts have been arbitrarily set and agreed upon by specific groups. While the United States Customary System remains the most commonly used system of measurement in the United States, the International System is accepted all over the world as the standard system for use in science.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• mismeasurement
  noun
• premeasurement
  noun
• remeasurement
  noun
• self-measurement
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• measurements
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of measurement

First recorded in 1745–55; measure + -ment

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Explanation

Taking a measurement involves figuring out how long something is or what it weighs or how fast it is. Measurements usually require something like a ruler or a stop watch. When you step on the scale to check your weight, you're getting a measurement. When you pull out a ruler and measure a piece of paper, you're making a measurement. Astronomers make measurements of how far away other planets and stars are. In the Olympics, a timer does a measurement of who's fastest, to see who won a race. Anytime you're using a measuring device to come up with a number for something, you're taking a measurement.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

measurement measurements

"Repeating a measurement meant fabricating an entirely new sample."

From Science Daily ● Nov. 9, 2026

A price is only as honest as the measurement beneath it.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

Unlike the bits used in ordinary computers, quantum bits, or qubits, are extraordinarily sensitive to measurement.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026

“No question I’m going to slip up at some point,” said Craig Schlenoff, who leads NIST’s AI research, measurement and standards division.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026

When Bertillon knelt down to lift a print off the frame of the Mona Lisa, his measurement method was being used across the world.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day

To investigate the unusual gas concentrations, the research team combined atmospheric measurements with detailed observations of the Martian surface.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 8, 2026

Scientists use two measurements to describe their extraordinary power.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 8, 2026

These findings raise the possibility that testosterone measurements could help doctors recognize men who may face greater health risks in the future.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 8, 2026

They then compared those measurements with cancer diagnoses and deaths recorded over the following decades, allowing them to investigate whether hormone levels were associated with future cancer outcomes.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 8, 2026

I would send them a sketch of the portrait and tell them to copy it faithfully, sending my measurements.

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

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Related Words

• amount
• analysis
• appraisal
• assessment
• density
• dimension
• evaluation
• frequency
• height
• measure
• size
• survey
• weight

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