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• metric
  metric

  adjective

  pertaining to the meter or to the metric system.
• -metric
  -metric

  a combining form occurring in adjectives that correspond to nouns ending in -meter (barometric ) or -metry (geometric ).

metric

¹ American  

[me-trik] / ˈmɛ trɪk /

adjective

1. pertaining to the meter or to the metric system.

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noun

1. Often metrics a standard for measuring or evaluating something, especially one that uses figures or statistics.

   new metrics for gauging an organization’s diversity;

   pretty good by any metric.

metric ² American  

[me-trik] / ˈmɛ trɪk /

adjective

1. pertaining to distance.

   metric geometry.

2. metrical.

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noun

1. Mathematics. a nonnegative real-valued function having properties analogous to those of the distance between points on a real line, as the distance between two points being independent of the order of the points, the distance between two points being zero if, and only if, the two points coincide, and the distance between two points being less than or equal to the sum of the distances from each point to an arbitrary third point.

-metric ³ American  

1. a combining form occurring in adjectives that correspond to nouns ending in -meter (barometric ) or -metry (geometric ).

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metric British  

/ ˈmɛtrɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to the metre or metric system

2. maths denoting or relating to a set containing pairs of points for each of which a non-negative real number ρ( x, y ) (the distance) can be defined, satisfying specific conditions

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noun

1. maths the function ρ( x, y ) satisfying the conditions of membership of such a set (a metric space )

metric Scientific  

/ mĕt′rĭk /

1. Relating to the meter or the metric system.

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Usage

What does -metric mean? The combining form -metric is used like a suffix meaning “of or relating to a measure or the process of measurement.” It denotes the adjective form of words ending in -meter and -metry. The form -metric is often used in scientific terms. The form -metric comes from Greek -metrikos, meaning “of or relating to measure.” Find out how -metrikos is related to diameter, isometric, and metronome at our entries for these words. What are variants of -metric?While -metric doesn't have any variants, it's related to the form -metrics, as in biometrics. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article for -metrics.

Etymology

Origin of metric¹

1860–65; < French métrique, derivative of mètre meter ¹; see -ic

Origin of metric²

1750–60; < Latin metricus < Greek metrikós of, relating to measuring. See meter ², -ic

Origin of -metric³

< Greek -metrikos; see meter ², -metry, -ic

Explanation

If something’s metric, it’s related to a system that uses the meter as a basic measurement. If someone says they'll sell you 3 meters of silk, then you know that the metric system is being used. The word metric traces back to the French word métriquei, from mèter. The word is most often used to describe a widely used system of measurement based on the meter, called the metric system. Metric can describe the system as well as things related to the metric system. If your science teacher asks you to measure an object using metric units, you’ll be using centimeters and millimeters, rather than inches or feet. In music, metric refers to the rhythmic measures.

Example Sentences

Then, the hosts dig into the stat dashboard the U.N. wants to replace GDP as the main prosperity metric and debate whether GDP is even relevant enough for it to matter.

From Slate • May 30, 2026

April’s seasonally adjusted annual selling rate, or SAAR, the auto industry’s preferred selling metric, was 15.9 million External link, down 7% year over year—the eighth consecutive month of year over year declines.

From Barron's • May 28, 2026

However, another metric investors were monitoring for AI traction fell flat.

From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026

That metric is the equity risk premium, often defined as the gap between the S&P 500’s earnings yield—the profit companies generate relative to stock valuations, expressed as a percentage—and that of the 10-year Treasury note.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026

"Thirty-two metric tons including fuel," Martinez said, his hands flying over the controls.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir