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
As for usage, the odometer currently shows just over 93,000 miles.
—
Howard Walker, Robb Report, 23 Mar. 2026
For example, while GPS trackers can be used to measure mileage, drivers also have the option to manually submit photos of their odometer readings, eliminating the need for tracking altogether.
—Louis Sigaud, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2026
The second-year defender had put some 10 miles on the odometer, chasing and being chased, across the full 90 minutes of soccer.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
Two separate studies, one examining electricity usage and another looking at odometer reads, concluded that even though people have bought a lot of EVs in California, they are not driven as much as conventional vehicles.
—Philip Rossetti, Oc Register, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for odometer
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Howard Walker, Robb Report, 23 Mar. 2026
For example, while GPS trackers can be used to measure mileage, drivers also have the option to manually submit photos of their odometer readings, eliminating the need for tracking altogether.
—Louis Sigaud, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2026
The second-year defender had put some 10 miles on the odometer, chasing and being chased, across the full 90 minutes of soccer.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
Two separate studies, one examining electricity usage and another looking at odometer reads, concluded that even though people have bought a lot of EVs in California, they are not driven as much as conventional vehicles.
—Philip Rossetti, Oc Register, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for odometer
Cite this Entry
“Odometer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/odometer. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
odometer
noun
odom·e·ter
ō-ˈdäm-ət-ər
: an instrument for measuring distance traveled (as by a vehicle)
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