. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
you have here. The definition of the word
will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
metre ( Commonwealth English for noun senses 2 and 3, rare for other senses )
Etymology
Senses 1.1, 2, and 3 were borrowed from French mètre and Latin metrum ; see metre for more.
Sense 1.2 is a noun derived from mete , from Old English metan ( “ to measure, mark off ” ) , possibly influencing the other meanings.
Pronunciation
Noun
meter (countable and uncountable , plural meters )
A device that measures things.
A parking meter or similar device for collecting payment.
gas meter
( dated ) One who metes or measures .
a labouring coal-meter
( American spelling ) Alternative form of metre
( obsolete ) A poem.
1551 , Thomas More , “(please specify the Internet Archive page) ”, in Raphe Robynson [i.e. , Ralph Robinson ], transl., A Fruteful, and Pleasaunt Worke of the Best State of a Publyque Weale, and of the Newe Yle Called Utopia: , London: [Steven Mierdman for] Abraham Vele, , →OCLC :A meter of [ …] berses in the Utopian tongue
( American spelling ) A line above or below a hanging net, to which the net is attached in order to strengthen it.
Derived terms
Translations
measuring instrument
Arabic: مِقْيَاس m ( miqyās )
Armenian: հաշվիչ (hy) ( hašvičʻ ) , չափիչ (hy) ( čʻapʻičʻ )
Basque: kontagailu
Belarusian: лічы́льнік m ( ličýlʹnik ) , вымяра́льнік m ( vymjarálʹnik ) , выме́рнік m ( vymjérnik )
Bulgarian: измери́телен у́ред m ( izmerítelen úred ) , броя́ч (bg) m ( brojáč )
Catalan: comptador m
Chinese:
Mandarin: 計量表 / 计量表 (zh) ( jìliángbiǎo )
Czech: metr (cs) m , měřič (cs) m
Danish: måler (da) c
Dutch: meter (nl) m , teller (nl) m
Esperanto: mezurilo , comptilo
Estonian: mõõtja
Finnish: mittari (fi) , mitta (fi) , mittatikku (fi)
French: mètre (fr) m , compteur (fr) m
Galician: contador m
Georgian: მთვლელი ( mtvleli ) , საზომი ( sazomi ) , მზომი ( mzomi )
German: Messgerät (de) n
Greek: μέτρο (el) n ( métro ) , ρολόι (el) n ( rolói )
Hebrew: מֶטֶר (he) m ( méter ) , מִדָּה (he) f ( midá )
Hungarian: mérőóra (hu) , fogyasztásmérő (óra ) , -óra (hu) ( in villanyóra (hu) , gázóra (hu) , vízóra (hu) )
Indonesian: meteran (id) , penghitung
Irish: méadar m
Italian: metro (it) m , contatore (it) m
Japanese: メーター (ja) ( mētā ) , 計量器 (ja) ( けいりょうき, keiryōki )
Khmer: កុងទ័រ ( kongtɔə )
Korean: 계량기(計量器) ( gyeryanggi )
Kurdish:
Central Kurdish: مەتر (ckb) ( metir )
Kyrgyz: өлчөгүч (ky) ( ölcögüc )
Latvian: mērītājs m
Lithuanian: metras (lt) m , matuoklis m
Macedonian: мерач m ( merač )
Malay: meter (ms)
Maori: ine
Mongolian:
Cyrillic: тоолуур (mn) ( tooluur )
Norwegian:
Bokmål: måler m
Persian: اندازهگیر ( andâze-gir ) , سنجه (fa) ( sanje )
Plautdietsch: Tala m
Polish: miernik (pl) m
Portuguese: contador (pt) m
Romanian: metru (ro) m ( instrument ) , contor (ro) n
Russian: счётчик (ru) m ( sčótčik ) , измери́тель (ru) m ( izmerítelʹ )
Scottish Gaelic: inneal-tomhais m
Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic: ме̏тар m
Roman: mȅtar (sh) m
Slovak: merač m
Slovene: števec m
Spanish: medidor m , contador (es) m , metro (es) m
Swedish: mätare (sv) c , -meter (sv) c
Thai: มิเตอร์ (th) ( mí-dtə̂ə )
Turkish: metre (tr)
Ukrainian: лічи́льник m ( ličýlʹnyk ) , вимі́рник m ( vymírnyk ) , вимі́рювач m ( vymírjuvač )
Vietnamese: cái đo , người đo
unit of length
— see metre
rhythm of poetry
Arabic: وَزْن (ar) m ( wazn ) , بَحْر (ar) m ( baḥr )
Basque: please add this translation if you can
Bulgarian: ри́тъм (bg) m ( rítǎm )
Chinese:
Mandarin: please add this translation if you can
Czech: please add this translation if you can
Danish: please add this translation if you can
Dutch: versmaat (nl) f , metrum (nl) n
Faroese: ørindislag n
Finnish: runomitta (fi)
German: Versmaß (de) n , Metrum (de) n , Silbenmaß n
Greek: μέτρο (el) n ( métro )
Ancient Greek: μέτρον n ( métron )
Hungarian: versmérték (hu)
Irish: aiste f , meadaracht f
Japanese: 韻律 (ja) ( いんりつ, inritsu )
Kazakh: please add this translation if you can
Khmer: បាទ (km) ( baat ) , មាត្រា (km) ( miətraa )
Cyrillic: ме̏тар m
Latin: metrum (la) n
Macedonian: ме́тар m ( métar )
Persian: وزن (fa) ( vazn ) , بحر (fa) ( bahr )
Polish: metrum (pl) n , metr (pl) m ( dated ) , miara (pl) f
Russian: разме́р (ru) m ( razmér ) , ритм (ru) m ( ritm )
Serbo-Croatian:
Roman: mȅtar (sh) m
Spanish: métrica (es) f
Swedish: versmått (sv) n
Turkmen: please add this translation if you can
Verb
meter (third-person singular simple present meters , present participle metering , simple past and past participle metered )
To measure with a metering device.
To imprint a postage mark with a postage meter .
To regulate the flow of or to deliver in regulated amounts (usually of fluids but sometimes of other things such as anticipation or breath ).
Translations
Anagrams
Aragonese
Etymology
From Latin mittere , present active infinitive of mittō .
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /meˈte(ɾ)/
Rhymes: -e(ɾ)
Syllabification: me‧ter
Verb
meter
to put
Conjugation
This verb needs an inflection-table template .
Danish
Noun
meter c (singular definite meteren , plural indefinite meter )
a metre , or meter (US) (SI unit of measurement )
Declension
Derived terms
References
Dutch
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From meten + -er .
Noun
meter m (plural meters , diminutive metertje n )
meter ( device that measures things or indicates a physical quantity )
Ik heb een meter nodig om de stroom in dit circuit te meten. ― I need a meter to measure the current in this circuit.
De meters in het laboratorium zijn zeer nauwkeurig. ― The meters in the laboratory are very precise.
Kun je dat kleine metertje even doorgeven? ― Can you pass that small meter please?
measurer ( person who measures something )
Derived terms
Etymology 2
Borrowed from French mètre .
Noun
meter m (plural meters , diminutive metertje n )
meter , metre ( unit of distance )
De kamer is vijf meters breed. ― The room is five meters wide.
Ze liep een afstand van tien meters in de race. ― She ran a distance of ten metres in the race.
Dit kleine metertje touw is alles wat ik over heb. ― This small metre of rope is all I have left.
Derived terms
Descendants
Etymology 3
From Middle Dutch meter , from metrijn , from Latin matrīna .
Noun
meter f (plural meters , diminutive metertje n , masculine peter )
godmother
Synonyms: peettante , petemoei
Ze is de trotse meter van haar neefje. ― She is the proud godmother of her nephew.
Mijn zus werd gevraagd om meter te zijn bij de doop. ― My sister was asked to be the godmother at the baptism.
Elk kind in ons gezin heeft een meter en een peter. ― Every child in our family has a godmother and a godfather.
Galician
Etymology
From Old Galician-Portuguese meter , from Latin mittō, mittēre ( “ to send, put ” ) , probably from Proto-Indo-European *meyth₂- ( “ to exchange, remove ” ) .
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /meˈteɾ/
Rhymes: -eɾ
Hyphenation: me‧ter
Verb
meter (first-person singular present meto , first-person singular preterite metín , past participle metido )
( transitive ) to put
( transitive ) to insert
( transitive ) to bring in
( pronominal ) to meddle , interfere
( transitive ) to deliver
Meteu lle unha patada. ― He delivered him a kick.
Conjugation
Singular
Plural
First-person (eu )
Second-person (ti / tu )
Third-person (ele / ela / você )
First-person (nós )
Second-person (vós )
Third-person (eles / elas / vocês )
Infinitive
Impersonal
meter
Personal
meter
meteres
meter
metermos
meterdes
meterem
Gerund
metendo
Past participle
Masculine
metido
metidos
Feminine
metida
metidas
Indicative
Present
meto
metes
mete
metemos
metedes , meteis
metem
Imperfect
metia
metias
metia
metíamos
metíades , metíeis , metíais 1
metiam
Preterite
metim , meti
meteste , meteche 1
meteu
metemos
metestes
metêrom , meteram
Pluperfect
metera
meteras
metera
metêramos
metêrades , metêreis , metêrais 1
meteram
Future
meterei
meterás
meterá
meteremos
meteredes , metereis
meterám , meterão
Conditional
meteria
meterias
meteria
meteríamos
meteríades , meteríeis , meteríais 1
meteriam
Subjunctive
Present
meta
metas
meta
metamos
metades , metais
metam
Imperfect
metesse
metesses
metesse
metêssemos
metêssedes , metêsseis
metessem
Future
meter
meteres
meter
metermos
meterdes
meterem
Imperative
Affirmative
mete
meta
metamos
metede , metei
metam
Negative (nom )
nom metas
nom meta
nom metamos
nom metades , nom metais
nom metam
References
Ernesto Xosé González Seoane , María Álvarez de la Granja , Ana Isabel Boullón Agrelo (2006 –2022 ) “meter ”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández , editor (2006 –2013 ), “meter ”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language ] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández , Ernesto Xosé González Seoane , María Álvarez de la Granja , editors (2003 –2018 ), “meter ”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
Rosario Álvarez Blanco , editor (2014 –2024 ), “meter ”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega , →ISSN
Indonesian
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Dutch meter , meten , from Middle Dutch mēten , from Old Dutch metan , from Proto-Germanic *metaną , from Proto-Indo-European *med- ( “ to measure ” ) .
From Dutch meter , from French mètre , from Latin metrum , from Ancient Greek μέτρον ( métron , “ measure ” ) , from Proto-Indo-European *meh₁- ( “ to measure ” ) .
Doublet of metrum .
Noun
mètêr (first-person possessive meterku , second-person possessive metermu , third-person possessive meternya )
meter , a device that measures things.
meter , metre , the base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI ).
Sebatang pohon setinggi 5 meter akan digambar dengan skala 1:25. A 5-meter tall tree will be drawn on a scale of 1:25.
Derived terms
Etymology 2
From Dutch meter , from Middle Dutch meter , from metrijn , from Latin matrīna .
Noun
mètêr (first-person possessive meterku , second-person possessive metermu , third-person possessive meternya )
godmother .
Further reading
Kholosi
Etymology
From Sanskrit मूत्र ( mūtrá ) .
Noun
meter ?
urine
References
Eric Anonby, Hassan Mohebi Bahmani (2014 ) “Shipwrecked and Landlocked: Kholosi, an Indo-Aryan Language in South-west Iran”, in Cahier de Studia Iranica xx , pages 13-36
Ladin
Etymology
From Latin mittere , present active infinitive of mittō .
Verb
meter
to put , place
Conjugation
Ladin conjugation varies from one region to another. Hence, the following conjugation should be considered as typical, not as exhaustive.
Conjugation of meter (third conjugation)
Ladino
Verb
meter
to put
Latin
Pronunciation
Verb
mēter
first-person singular present active subjunctive of mētor
Malay
Etymology
From English metre or meter , from French mètre , from Ancient Greek μέτρον ( métron , “ measure, rule, length, size, poetic metre ” ) .
Pronunciation
Noun
meter (Jawi spelling ميتر , plural meter -meter , informal 1st possessive meterku , 2nd possessive metermu , 3rd possessive meternya )
A meter :
The basic unit of length in the International System of Units (SI: Système International d'Unités); a metre or meter .
lima meter ― five metres
A device that is used to measure and record something ( distance, quantity of something used, etc. ) .
meter air ― water meter
Further reading
Mòcheno
Etymology
From French mètre , from Latin metrum ( “ a measure ” ) , from Ancient Greek μέτρον ( métron ) .
Noun
meter m (plural meter )
meter ( unit of measure )
References
Norwegian Bokmål
Noun
meter m (definite singular meteren , indefinite plural meter , definite plural meterne )
a metre , or meter (US) (SI unit of length )
Derived terms
Norwegian Nynorsk
Noun
meter m (definite singular meteren , indefinite plural meter , definite plural meterane or metrane )
a metre , or meter (US) (SI unit of length )
Derived terms
Portuguese
Etymology
From Old Galician-Portuguese meter , from Latin mittere ( “ to send, to put ” ) , probably from Proto-Indo-European *meyth₂- ( “ to exchange, remove ” ) .
Pronunciation
Verb
meter (first-person singular present meto , first-person singular preterite meti , past participle metido )
( transitive ) to put
( transitive ) to insert
( reflexive ) to meddle , interfere
— Já pensaram no que vem por aí? Uma vida inteira, juntos? As brigas, às vezes por mesquinharia? O ciuminho? Os sogros se metendo ? As diferenças: filme de pancadaria ou filme romântico? Luz acesa para um ler quando o outro quer dormir? Um não podendo viver sem ar refrigerado, apesar da rinite do outro? Já pensaram?
( transitive , vulgar ) to fuck , screw
Conjugation
Further reading
“meter ”, in iDicionário Aulete (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008 –2024
“meter ” in Dicionário Aberto based on Novo Diccionário da Língua Portuguesa de Cândido de Figueiredo , 1913
“meter ”, in Dicionário infopédia da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003 –2024
“meter ”, in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos, 2015 –2024
“meter ”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008 –2024
Slovak
Pronunciation
Noun
meter m inan
meter , metre ( unit of length )
Further reading
“meter ”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science ] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk , 2003–2024
Slovene
Noun
meter m
meter , metre ( unit of length )
Further reading
“meter ”, in Slovarji Inštituta za slovenski jezik Frana Ramovša ZRC SAZU (in Slovene), 2014–2024
Spanish
Etymology
Inherited from Old Spanish meter , from Latin mittō ( “ to send ” ) , probably from Proto-Indo-European *mey-th₂- ( “ to exchange, remove ” ) . Cognate with English mess (sense 2) and also mission , message . Compare also French mettre , Friulian meti , Portuguese meter , and Italian mettere . The semantic shift from "send" to "put" probably occurred in Vulgar Latin.
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /meˈteɾ/
Rhymes: -eɾ
Syllabification: me‧ter
Verb
meter (first-person singular present meto , first-person singular preterite metí , past participle metido )
to put in , insert
Synonym: poner
( sports ) to score
meter un gol ― to score a goal
to make ( noise )
to cram , to stuff , to stick , to shove
( reflexive ) to meddle , interfere , to get into
Synonyms: inmiscuirse , meter la nariz
¡No te metas en lo que no te importa! Don't get involved in other people's business!/ Don't meddle in others' affairs!
( reflexive ) to get into ( a small space )
( reflexive ) to get into , to get in
meterse en problemas ― to get in trouble.
Está tratando de meterse en tu cabeza. He's trying to get into your head.
Conjugation
1 Mostly obsolete, now mainly used in legal language.2 Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tú form for the present subjunctive.
Selected combined forms of meter
These forms are generated automatically and may not actually be used. Pronoun usage varies by region.
singular
plural
1st person
2nd person
3rd person
1st person
2nd person
3rd person
with infinitive meter
dative
meterme
meterte
meterle , meterse
meternos
meteros
meterles , meterse
accusative
meterme
meterte
meterlo , meterla , meterse
meternos
meteros
meterlos , meterlas , meterse
with gerund metiendo
dative
metiéndome
metiéndote
metiéndole , metiéndose
metiéndonos
metiéndoos
metiéndoles , metiéndose
accusative
metiéndome
metiéndote
metiéndolo , metiéndola , metiéndose
metiéndonos
metiéndoos
metiéndolos , metiéndolas , metiéndose
with informal second-person singular tú imperative mete
dative
méteme
métete
métele
métenos
not used
mételes
accusative
méteme
métete
mételo , métela
métenos
not used
mételos , mételas
with informal second-person singular vos imperative meté
dative
meteme
metete
metele
metenos
not used
meteles
accusative
meteme
metete
metelo , metela
metenos
not used
metelos , metelas
with formal second-person singular imperative meta
dative
métame
not used
métale , métase
métanos
not used
métales
accusative
métame
not used
métalo , métala , métase
métanos
not used
métalos , métalas
with first-person plural imperative metamos
dative
not used
metámoste
metámosle
metámonos
metámoos
metámosles
accusative
not used
metámoste
metámoslo , metámosla
metámonos
metámoos
metámoslos , metámoslas
with informal second-person plural imperative meted
dative
metedme
not used
metedle
metednos
meteos
metedles
accusative
metedme
not used
metedlo , metedla
metednos
meteos
metedlos , metedlas
with formal second-person plural imperative metan
dative
métanme
not used
métanle
métannos
not used
métanles , métanse
accusative
métanme
not used
métanlo , métanla
métannos
not used
métanlos , métanlas , métanse
1 Mostly obsolete, now mainly used in legal language.2 Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tú form for the present subjunctive.
Derived terms
Further reading
Swedish
Etymology
Borrowed from English meter .
Pronunciation
Noun
meter c
a metre ; the SI-unit
( music ) Rhythm or measure in verse
a meter ; a device that measures things.
Declension
Tatar
Etymology
Borrowed from English meter .
Noun
meter
meter
Declension