metric ton

American  

noun

1. a unit of 1000 kilograms, equivalent to 2204.62 avoirdupois pounds.

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metric ton British  

noun

1. another name (not in technical use) for tonne

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metric ton Scientific  

1. A unit of mass or weight in the metric system equal to 1,000 kilograms (2,205 pounds).

2. See Table at measurement

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Etymology

Origin of metric ton

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

One metric ton is equal to about 7.15 barrels, so that was close to 21.5 million barrels in total.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

This delivery premium is now about $2,500 a metric ton, according to S&P Global Energy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

For the current quarter, Carnival expects fuel costs per metric ton consumed of $795, which is 42.2% more than the $559 it cost in the fiscal quarter through Feb. 28.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 27, 2026

Aluminum forward contracts were up 1.1% early Thursday at $3,181.75 per metric ton in New York.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

The company is fined for each metric ton of pollutants over the legal limit.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt