meter

The word “meter” means a device that measures the amount of something, such as electricity, gas, or water used. In plain terms, a gadget that measures how much of something (gas, electricity, water, parking time) is being used.

“Meter” is pronounced MEE-tuh ([ˈmiɾɚ] in IPA).

Here is “meter” used in a sentence: “The engineer came to read the electricity meter.”

Depending on how it is used, “meter” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “meter” comes from Middle English. From Middle English metere ("one who measures"), related to the verb mete ("to measure"); later applied to measuring devices, likely influenced by words like barometer and thermometer.

“Meter” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Meter” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a device that measures the amount of something, such as electricity, gas, or water used.

In British English, a meter is a measuring device — such as a gas meter or parking meter — while metre is the spelling for the unit of length. In American English, meter is the standard spelling for both the device and the unit. The verb, as in "to meter electricity", is spelled meter in both varieties.

A meter usually records how much of something has been used or has passed through, such as electricity, gas, or water. A gauge usually displays a current level or reading, such as tyre pressure or fuel. The two overlap in everyday use, and both are types of measuring instrument.