Meaning & use
altimeter
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
An instrument that measures how high something is above a fixed level, such as sea level.
Grammar: Countable: one altimeter, two altimeters.
Patterns
- read the altimeter
- check the altimeter
- the altimeter shows/indicates something
The pilot checked the altimeter before landing.
My watch has a built-in altimeter for hiking.
The altimeter showed we were 3,000 meters above sea level.
Word forms
| plural | altimeters |
|---|
Common combinations
- digital altimeter
- A digital altimeter gives a precise reading quickly.
- pressure altimeter
- Aircraft use a pressure altimeter to measure altitude.
- set the altimeter
- The pilot set the altimeter to the local pressure.
- altimeter reading
- The altimeter reading was inaccurate due to weather.
Synonyms and how they differ
- height gauge
- A general term for any device measuring height; 'altimeter' is the specific term used in aviation and hiking.
Word family
- altimetry noun
- The science or practice of measuring altitude.
Commonly confused: altimeter or attometer?
altimeter vs attometer
An 'attometer' is a unit of length (one quintillionth of a meter); 'altimeter' measures height.
Practice
A hiker wants to know how high she is above sea level. What does she use?
Choose one answer.
An altimeter measures altitude (height). A thermometer measures temperature, a barometer measures air pressure, and a speedometer measures speed.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “altimeter”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.