metre
1 Britishnoun
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a metric unit of length equal to approximately 1.094 yards
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the basic SI unit of length; the length of the path travelled by light in free space during a time interval of 1/299 792 458 of a second. In 1983 this definition replaced the previous one based on krypton-86, which in turn had replaced the definition based on the platinum-iridium metre bar kept in Paris
noun
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prosody the rhythmic arrangement of syllables in verse, usually according to the number and kind of feet in a line
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music another word (esp US) for time
Etymology
Origin of metre1
C18: from French; see metre ²
Origin of metre2
C14: from Latin metrum, from Greek metron measure
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Statistics show that there is a 100% chance of a tsunami of at least one metre high in the Mediterranean Sea in the next 30 years.”
From Science Daily • May 21, 2026
However, China's current definition of "good" is PM2.5 levels of under 35 micrograms per cubic metre, significantly higher than the WHO's recommended five micrograms.
From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026
The average price of a square metre for rent has doubled in 10 years, according to online real estate portal Idealista.
From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026
They are considered harmless to humans and are predominantly found sitting in large webs often more than a metre in diameter.
From BBC • Feb. 10, 2026
The first of a batch of two hundred and fifty embryonic rocket-plane engineers was just passing the eleven hundred metre mark on Rack 3.
From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
