metre

¹ British  

/ ˈmiːtə /

noun

1. a metric unit of length equal to approximately 1.094 yards

2. 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

---

metre ² British  

/ ˈmiːtə /

noun

1. prosody the rhythmic arrangement of syllables in verse, usually according to the number and kind of feet in a line

2. 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

“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

Some monitors there recorded levels of PM2.5 -- particles small enough to enter the bloodstream and linked to diseases like cancer -- of over 900 micrograms per cubic metre.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 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

Sea levels are expected to rise in Wales by up to a metre by 2100, alongside more frequent and severe storms, with more than 350,000 properties set to be at risk of flooding.

From BBC • Jan. 29, 2026

Thirty-three Delta females, long-headed, sandy, with narrow pelvises, and all within 20 millimetres of 1 metre 69 centimetres tall, were cutting screws.

From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley

Related Words

• cadence
• flow
• movement
• pattern
• pulse
• swing
• tempo