odometer

noun

odom·​e·​ter ō-ˈdä-mə-tər 

: an instrument for measuring the distance traveled (as by a vehicle)

Did you know?

Odometer includes the root from the Greek word hodos, meaning "road" or "trip". An odometer shares space on your dashboard with a speedometer, a tachometer, and maybe a "tripmeter". The odometer is what crooked car salesmen tamper with when they want to reduce the mileage a car registers as having traveled. One of life's little pleasures is watching the odometer as all the numbers change at the same time.

Examples of odometer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The listing also notes while the odometer shows 3,800 miles, the vehicle’s true mileage is unknown. — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 25 Aug. 2026

That’s forcing many shoppers to settle for older models with considerably more miles on the odometer. — Jim Gorzelany, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

To prove the unused car stays that way, participants will be using GoCarma’s smartphone app to keep track of odometer readings. — Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026

Stephen owns a 2003 Hyundai Sonata that has racked up over 548,000 miles according to its odometer. — Charles Singh, USA Today, 31 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

French odomètre, from Greek hodometron, from hodos way, road + metron measure — more at measure

First Known Use

1791, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for odometer

• barometer
• chronometer
• geometer
• hydrometer
• hygrometer
• kilometer
• micrometer
• photometer
• psychrometer
• pycnometer
• pyrometer
• rheometer

Kids Definition

odometer

noun

odom·​e·​ter ō-ˈdäm-ət-ər 

: an instrument for measuring distance traveled (as by a vehicle)