Meaning & use
metering
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“metering” is a form of “meter”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
noununcountable
The measuring of an amount of something, such as electricity, water or light, using a device.
Grammar: Usually no article: water metering started last year.
Patterns
- metering of something
- metering system
Water metering encourages households to use less water.
The city introduced smart metering for electricity last year.
Accurate metering is needed to bill customers fairly.
noununcountablespecialist
In photography, the measuring of how bright a scene is so that the camera can choose the right exposure.
Grammar: Often used with a mode: spot metering, matrix metering.
Patterns
- metering mode
Spot metering helps you expose a face against a bright sky.
Her camera switches between several metering modes.
Poor metering made the photo too dark.
noununcountable
The controlled release of something in set amounts or at a set pace, such as traffic signals on a ramp.
Grammar: Often used in transport and medicine.
Patterns
- metering of something
Ramp metering keeps traffic moving on the highway.
The pump allows careful metering of the medicine.
Common combinations
- smart metering
- Smart metering lets customers see their usage in real time.
- water metering
- Water metering is now common in many towns.
- spot metering
- Use spot metering for a portrait in strong light.
- metering system
- The metering system records each unit of gas used.
- ramp metering
- Ramp metering reduced the morning jams.
Synonyms and how they differ
- measurement
- Measurement is the general word for finding size or amount, while metering means doing so with a meter, usually for billing or control.
- gauging
- Gauging suggests estimating or judging a level, while metering means recording it exactly with a device.
- monitoring
- Monitoring means watching something over time, while metering records the amount used.
Word family
Commonly confused: metering or metrics?
metering vs metrics
Metrics are measurements used to judge performance. Metering is the act of measuring use of a utility, light or flow.
Practice
A city fits a device to every home to record how much water each uses. What is this called?
Choose one answer.
Metering is measuring use with a meter. The other options sound similar but do not mean this.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “metering”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.