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Words with the root meter

Meter comes from the Greek word metron, meaning measure, and it appears in tools that measure heat, distance, and speed as well as in words describing the rhythm of poetry. This list is useful for students studying science vocabulary and for readers exploring how poems are structured and counted.

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Words with the root meter

26 words
WordMeaningIn a sentenceSave
meternounThe base unit of length in the metric system, equal to about 3.28 feet.The community pool is exactly twenty-five meters long from end to end.
kilometernounA unit of length in the metric system equal to one thousand meters, about 0.62 miles.The nearest town is about five kilometers from our farmhouse.
centimeternounA unit of length in the metric system equal to one hundredth of a meter.The insect measured just two centimeters from head to tail.
millimeternounA unit of length equal to one thousandth of a meter.The tiny screw's head measures just six millimeters across at its widest point.
diameternounA line segment across a circle through its center, or the length of that segment.Draw a diameter through the center of the circle.
perimeternounThe total distance around the boundary of a flat shape.The square has sides of 4 centimeters and a perimeter of 16 centimeters.
thermometernounAn instrument used to measure and display the temperature of a body, substance, or environment.She placed the thermometer under her tongue to check for a fever.
barometernounAn instrument that measures atmospheric pressure, used especially to forecast weather.The falling barometer suggested that a storm was approaching the coast.
speedometernounAn instrument in a vehicle that shows its current speed.The speedometer showed she was driving well over the limit.
odometernounA device in a vehicle that measures and displays the total distance traveled.The odometer showed just over two hundred thousand miles when we finally sold the car.
altimeternounAn instrument that measures altitude, or height above a fixed reference point, such as sea level.The pilot checked the altimeter as the plane began its slow descent.
voltmeternounAn instrument used to measure the voltage, or electrical potential difference, between two points in a circuit.The technician connected a voltmeter to check whether the battery still held a charge.
hexameternounA line of poetry containing six metrical feet, commonly used in classical epic verse.Homer's great epics were composed almost entirely in dactylic hexameter.
pentameternounA line of verse consisting of five metrical feet, as in iambic pentameter.Shakespeare wrote most of his sonnets in iambic pentameter, with five stressed beats per line.
tetrameternounA line of poetry made up of four metrical feet, a common rhythm in English verse.Many nursery rhymes are written in tetrameter, giving them a steady, singsong beat.
trimeternounA line of poetry made up of three metrical feet, shorter than the more common tetrameter.The short poem was written in trimeter, giving it a quick, clipped rhythm.
parameternounA measurable factor that defines a system's characteristics, or a limit that sets the boundaries of something.Engineers adjusted several parameters to improve the engine's fuel efficiency.
gasometernounA large storage tank, often cylindrical, used to hold and regulate the supply of gas.The old gasometer near the railway has been converted into modern apartments.
hydrometernounAn instrument used to measure the density or specific gravity of a liquid.The brewer used a hydrometer to check the sugar content of the fermenting beer.
chronometernounA highly precise instrument for measuring time, especially one used for navigation or scientific purposes.Sailors once relied on a marine chronometer to calculate their longitude at sea.
seismometernounAn instrument that detects and measures the vibrations of the ground caused by earthquakes.The seismometer recorded a small tremor near the fault line overnight.
micrometernounA precision instrument used to measure very small distances or thicknesses.The machinist used a micrometer to check the exact diameter of the bolt.
pedometernounA small device that counts the number of steps a person takes while walking.Her pedometer showed she had already walked six thousand steps by lunchtime.
anemometernounAn instrument used to measure the speed of wind.The weather station's anemometer recorded gusts over sixty miles per hour.
geometrynounThe branch of mathematics concerned with the properties and relationships of points, lines, shapes, and space.Students learned geometry by calculating the area of several different triangles.
metricnounA standard of measurement used to assess performance, quality, or progress.The team tracks several metrics, including customer satisfaction and response time.

Meter in measurement

Many meter words name tools that measure something specific. A thermometer measures temperature, a barometer measures air pressure, and a speedometer measures speed. Distance words like kilometer, centimeter, and millimeter use meter as a unit itself, showing how the root carries the core idea of measuring across very different tools and units.

Meter in poetry

In poetry, meter describes the rhythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line. Words like pentameter, a line with five rhythmic beats, and hexameter, a line with six, use the same root to describe measured, countable rhythm instead of physical distance or temperature. Recognizing this shared root helps connect science and literature vocabulary.

Frequently asked questions

What does the root meter mean?

Meter comes from the Greek word metron, meaning measure, so words like thermometer, diameter, and pentameter all involve measuring something.