meter
gb/mˈitɚ/ us/mˈitɚ/
A2
English
~ 3400
mérőóra, mérőműszer, méter, metrum, versmérték
NOUN
A2
1
mérőóra
B1
mérőműszer
B2
Usage pattern:
a [type] meter
The parking meter showed that his time had expired.
A parkolóóra azt mutatta, hogy lejárt a parkolási ideje.
The electricity meter is read once a month by the utility company.
A szolgáltató havonta egyszer leolvassa a villanyórát.
A speed meter in the car tells you how fast you are going.
The gas meter is located outside the house.
We installed a water meter to track our consumption.
Learner examples
The parking meter says my time is up.
A parkolóóra szerint lejárt az időm.
The man reads the electricity meter.
A férfi leolvassa a villanyórát.
My car has a speed meter.
The gas meter is near the door.
We have a water meter in our home.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'meter' (device) with 'metre' (unit of length in British English).
Meaning
Device for measuring amounts
Collocations
parking meter
|electricity meter
|water meter
|gas meter
|speed meter
Synonyms
gauge (Often interchangeable, but 'gauge' is more common in technical or engineering contexts.)
Antonyms
estimation (An opposite approach, as it does not involve precise measurement.)
Themes
science
|technology
|daily life
Definition
A tool that measures and shows how much of something there is.
A device used to measure and display the quantity of something such as distance, speed, time, or usage.
NOUN
A2
2
méter
A1
The table is two meters long.
He ran 100 meters in record time.
The ceiling is three meters high.
They bought cloth by the meter.
A square meter is a unit of area.
Learner examples
The bed is two meters long.
He can run 100 meters fast.
The room is three meters wide.
We buy wood by the meter.
One square meter is not big.
Common mistake:
Students often confuse 'meter' (length) with 'meter' (device) and may spell it 'metre' depending on English variety.
Meaning
Metric unit of length
Collocations
square meter
|cubic meter
|run a meter
|meter stick
Synonyms
metre (British English spelling of the same unit.)
Antonyms
inch (A smaller unit of length in the imperial system.)
Themes
science
|measurement
|education
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A measure of length equal to 100 centimeters.
The base unit of length in the metric system, equal to 100 centimeters or approximately 39.37 inches.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
3
metrum
C1
versmérték
B2
This poem is written in iambic meter.
Ez a vers jambikus metrumban íródott.
The song is in 3/4 meter.
A dal 3/4-es metrumban van.
Changing the meter changes the feel of the music.
Shakespeare often used iambic pentameter.
The composer experimented with unusual meters.
Learner examples
This poem has iambic meter.
Ennek a versnek jambikus a metruma.
The song is in 4/4 meter.
A dal 4/4-es metrumban van.
Shakespeare used iambic pentameter.
The music has a slow meter.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'meter' here refers to measurement tools; clarify it's about rhythm.
Meaning
Rhythm in poetry or music
Collocations
iambic meter
|trochaic meter
|in 4/4 meter
Synonyms
rhythm ('Rhythm' is broader and used in many contexts beyond poetry and music theory.)
Antonyms
free verse (Poetry without a regular rhythmic pattern.)
Themes
arts
|literature
|music
|arts_entertainment
|education
Definition
The pattern of sounds or beats in poetry or music.
The regular pattern of beats or stresses in a line of poetry or a piece of music.
Grammar
Dictionary form
meter
IPA
GB/mˈitɚ/
US/mˈitɚ/
Syllables & stress
meter (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (meter)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: meter
- Variant Spelling: metre
- Plural: meter, meters
Word family
Highlights
- Spelling Variant: metre Noun
Expressions
run up the meter
1/ɹˈʌn ˈʌp ðə mˈitɚ/
idiom
informal
Let costs increase on a device
To let the cost or amount recorded by a device (like a taxi meter) go higher, usually by using it longer.
Examples
- If we keep driving around, we'll just run up the meter.
- He left the call connected, running up the meter on his phone bill.
watch the meter
1/wˈɔt͡ʃ ðə mˈitɚ/
fixed phrase
Monitor a measuring device closely
To look at a device that measures something so you can see changes or when it reaches a limit.
Examples
- Watch the meter while I turn on the appliance.
- She watched the taxi's meter as they drove through traffic.