metric
gb/mˈɛtɹɪk/ us/mˈɛtɹɪk/
B1
English
~ 8000
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
entity
1
numerical measure of performance
A number or measure that shows how well something is working or how much progress has been made.
Usage pattern:
a metric for [doing something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'metric' only means the metric system of units. In modern business and technology, 'metrics' very often means performance measures, like sales numbers, response times, or error rates. Also, learners may say *'many metric'* instead of the correct plural *'many metrics'*. Use 'metric' for one measure and 'metrics' for several.
Synonyms
measure (More general; can be numerical or not, and less tied to business or data analysis contexts.)
|
indicator (Focuses on something that shows a result or state, not always strictly numerical.)
Antonyms
guess (Emphasizes a judgment made without clear numbers or standards, the opposite of using defined metrics.)
Collocations
performance metrics
|key metrics
|business metrics
|success metrics
|track metrics
|set clear metrics
Themes
business
|technology
|science
|work
Examples
- Customer satisfaction is a key metric for our support team.
- The company tracks several metrics, including revenue growth and user engagement.
- We need better metrics to understand the impact of this program.
- By almost any metric, the project has been a success.
- Website traffic is only one metric and does not tell the whole story.
Learner examples
- Sales are an important metric for the company.
- The teacher uses test scores as a metric for student progress.
- We watch this metric every week to see if we improve.
adjective
B1
property
2
relating to the metric system
About the system of measurement that uses meters, liters, and grams.
Usage pattern:
metric [unit]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'metric' with 'meter.' 'Metric' describes the whole system (metric units, metric system), while 'meter' is one unit in that system. Also, 'metric system' is standard; phrases like *'meter system'* are incorrect.
Synonyms
SI (More technical; refers specifically to the International System of Units used in science.)
Antonyms
imperial (Refers to the non-metric system using inches, feet, pounds, etc., especially in the UK and US.)
Collocations
metric system
|metric units
|metric measurements
|metric ton
|metric conversion
Themes
science
|education
|everyday life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Most countries use metric units for distance and weight.
- The recipe gives both metric and imperial measurements.
- Scientists report their results in metric units.
- He converted the room dimensions from feet to metric.
- A metric ton is equal to 1,000 kilograms.
Learner examples
- Water is often sold in metric sizes like 500 milliliters.
- My country changed to the metric system many years ago.
- In school we learn both metric and imperial units.
Noun
technical
C1
entity
3
mathematical distance function
In higher mathematics, a special rule that gives a distance between any two points in a set and follows fixed rules.
Usage pattern:
define a metric on [a set]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse the general English sense of 'metric' (a performance measure) with the strict mathematical definition. In mathematics, a metric must satisfy specific axioms such as symmetry and the triangle inequality; not every kind of 'measurement' is a metric in this technical sense.
Synonyms
distance function (A more descriptive phrase, often used informally to explain what a metric does.)
Antonyms
non-metric (Used in mathematics to describe a structure or space that does not satisfy the axioms of a metric.)
Collocations
metric space
|define a metric
|Euclidean metric
|discrete metric
|Riemannian metric
Themes
mathematics
|science
|education
Examples
- We can define a new metric on this set that weights time more than cost.
- Under the Euclidean metric, the shortest path between two points is a straight line.
- This space is complete with respect to the given metric.
- Changing the metric can change which sequences converge.
- The discrete metric assigns distance one between every pair of distinct points.
Learner examples
- In this class we learn the definition of a metric on a set.
- With this metric, the distance between the two points is always positive.
- Different metrics can give different distances on the same space.
adjective
literary
C2
property
4
relating to poetic meter
About the beat or rhythm pattern in a poem.
Usage pattern:
metric [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'metric' here refers to the metric system. In poetry, 'metric' (or more often 'metrical') is about rhythm and stress patterns in lines of verse, not about measurement units.
Synonyms
metrical (More common in modern literary discussion; used almost interchangeably in this context.)
Antonyms
free-verse (Describes poetry without a regular metric pattern or fixed meter.)
Collocations
metric pattern
|metric structure
|metric form
|metric analysis
|metric foot
Themes
literature
|poetry
|arts_entertainment
|education
Examples
- The poem follows a strict metric pattern throughout.
- She wrote an essay on the metric structure of Shakespeare’s sonnets.
- The translator tried to preserve the original metric and rhyme scheme.
- This line breaks the established metric for dramatic effect.
- The play combines spoken dialogue with songs in varied metric forms.
Learner examples
- Many old poems have a clear metric pattern.
- The teacher asked us to describe the metric form of the poem.
- Some poets do not use a regular metric structure.
Grammar
Dictionary form
metric
IPA
GB/mˈɛtɹɪk/
US/mˈɛtɹɪk/
Syllables & stress
met - ric (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (met)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: metric
Noun
- Base: metric
- Plural: metrics
Word family
Expressions
by this metric
1/bˈaɪ ðˈɪs mˈɛtɹɪk/
fixed phrase
judging using this measure
If you judge something using this one measure or number.
Examples
- By this metric, our campaign was very successful.
- The city looks safe by this metric, but the numbers are misleading.
- By this metric, smaller companies actually perform better than large ones.
key metric
1/kˈi mˈɛtɹɪk/
fixed phrase
most important measure
The most important number or measure you watch to see if something is successful.
Examples
- Revenue growth is our key metric this quarter.
- For this product, user retention is the key metric.
- Make sure everyone on the team understands the key metrics.
metric system
1/mˈɛtɹɪk sˈɪstəm/
fixed phrase
decimal system of units
The measurement system that uses meters, liters, and grams.
Examples
- Most countries use the metric system in everyday life.
- The United States still does not fully use the metric system.
- Students learn to convert between the metric system and imperial units.
performance metric
1/pɚfˈɔɹməns mˈɛtɹɪk/
fixed phrase
measure of how well something works
A number or measure that shows how good or effective something is.
Examples
- Customer churn is an important performance metric for subscription businesses.
- We need to agree on clear performance metrics before we launch the project.
- The team reviews performance metrics every Monday morning.