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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

The average price of very low-sulfur fuel oil has risen 70% to $925 per metric ton at the world’s top ports since the war started.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

In the first quarter, the company produced a record 917 metric tons of NdPr, up 63% year over year.

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

In the near term, Citi said it expected the metric to hit 11% to 13%, excluding certain adjustments related to Banamex, the Mexico retail-banking unit that it has been divesting.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Cambria Funds co-founder Meb Faber has long been known for advocating “shareholder yield”—a metric that combines dividends and buybacks into a single number that tracks overall cash returned to shareholders.

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

Man ceased to be the measure of all else only with the adoption of the metric system in France in 1799.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton