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

That benchmark briefly topped $140 a metric ton in mid-March, the highest level since late 2024, though far below the $440 reached in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026

Still, the proposed 25 million metric ton annual purchase would be below the five-year average from 2020 to 2024.

From Barron's • May 12, 2026

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

Cocoa topped $12,000 a metric ton in late 2024, before falling below $3,000 earlier this year.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 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