meter
gb/mˈitɚ/ us/mˈitɚ/
A2
English
~ 3400
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Device for measuring amounts
A tool that measures and shows how much of something there is.
Usage pattern:
a [type] meter
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'meter' (device) with 'metre' (unit of length in British English).
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.)
Collocations
parking meter
|electricity meter
|water meter
|gas meter
|speed meter
Themes
science
|technology
|daily life
Examples
- The parking meter showed that his time had expired.
- The electricity meter is read once a month by the utility company.
- 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.
- The man reads the electricity meter.
- My car has a speed meter.
- The gas meter is near the door.
- We have a water meter in our home.
Noun
A2
quantity
2
Metric unit of length
A measure of length equal to 100 centimeters.
Common mistake:
Students often confuse 'meter' (length) with 'meter' (device) and may spell it 'metre' depending on English variety.
Synonyms
metre (British English spelling of the same unit.)
Antonyms
inch (A smaller unit of length in the imperial system.)
Collocations
square meter
|cubic meter
|run a meter
|meter stick
Themes
science
|measurement
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- 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.
Noun
technical
B2
entity
3
Rhythm in poetry or music
The pattern of sounds or beats in poetry or music.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'meter' here refers to measurement tools; clarify it's about rhythm.
Synonyms
rhythm ('Rhythm' is broader and used in many contexts beyond poetry and music theory.)
Antonyms
free verse (Poetry without a regular rhythmic pattern.)
Collocations
iambic meter
|trochaic meter
|in 4/4 meter
Themes
arts
|literature
|music
|arts_entertainment
|education
Examples
- This poem is written in iambic meter.
- The song is in 3/4 meter.
- 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.
- The song is in 4/4 meter.
- Shakespeare used iambic pentameter.
- The music has a slow meter.
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.