Adjacent Words

metric definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: based on the meter as a standard of measurement; "the metric system"; "metrical equivalents" [syn: metric, metrical]
2: the rhythmic arrangement of syllables [syn: measured, metrical, metric] n
1: a function of a topological space that gives, for any two points in the space, a value equal to the distance between them [syn: metric function, metric]
2: a decimal unit of measurement of the metric system (based on meters and kilograms and seconds); "convert all the measurements to metric units"; "it is easier to work in metric" [syn: metric unit, metric]
3: a system of related measures that facilitates the quantification of some particular characteristic [syn: system of measurement, metric]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Greek metrik?, from feminine of metrikos in meter, by measure, from metron measure — more at measure Date: 1760 1. plural a part of prosody that deals with metrical structure 2. a standard of measurement <no metric exists that can be applied directly to happiness — Scientific Monthly> 3. a mathematical function that associates a real nonnegative number analogous to distance with each pair of elements in a set such that the number is zero only if the two elements are identical, the number is the same regardless of the order in which the two elements are taken, and the number associated with one pair of elements plus that associated with one member of the pair and a third element is equal to or greater than the number associated with the other member of the pair and the third element II. adjective Etymology: French métrique, from mètre meter Date: 1864 of, relating to, or using the metric system <a metric study> • metrically adverb

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. of or based on the metre. Phrases and idioms: metric system the decimal measuring system with the metre, litre, and gram (or kilogram) as units of length, volume, and mass (see also SI). metric ton (or tonne) 1,000 kilograms (2205 lb.). Etymology: F métrique (as METRE(1))

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Metric Met"ric, a. [L. metricus, Gr. ?: cf. F. m['e]trique. See Meter rhythm.] 1. Relating to measurement; involving, or proceeding by, measurement. 2. Of or pertaining to the meter as a standard of measurement; of or pertaining to the decimal system of measurement of which a meter is the unit; as, the metric system; a metric measurement. Metric analysis (Chem.), analysis by volume; volumetric analysis. Metric system, a system of weights and measures originating in France, the use of which is required by law in many countries, and permitted in many others, including the United States and England. The principal unit is the meter (see Meter). From this are formed the are, the liter, the stere, the gram, etc. These units, and others derived from them, are divided decimally, and larger units are formed from multiples by 10, 100, 1,000, and 10,000. The successive multiplies are designated by the prefixes, deca-, hecto-, kilo-, and myria-; successive parts by deci-, centi-, and milli-. The prefixes mega- and micro- are sometimes used to denote a multiple by one million, and the millionth part, respectively. See the words formed with these prefixes in the Vocabulary. For metric tables, see p. 1682.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Metric means relating to the metric system. Converting metric measurements to U.S. equivalents is easy. ADJ: usu num ADJ n

Moby Thesaurus

antispastic, approximative, beating, cadenced, cadent, chorographic, dactylic, estimative, hypsographic, iambic, in numbers, in rhythm, measured, measuring, mensural, mensurational, mensurative, numerative, oceanographic, prosodic, pulsating, pulsative, pulsatory, pulsing, pyrrhic, quantitative, rhythmic, scanning, spondaic, throbbing, topographic, trochaic, valuational, valuative