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
In the film, the boys try to reverse the Ferrari’s odometer by running it backward on blocks.
—
Michael Martin, Architectural Digest, 11 June 2026
Today, the car shows 33,010 kilometers (approximately 20,511 miles) on the odometer, and is being offered with a copy of the handwritten build ledger, the original owner’s manual, the tool kit, and a file of restoration invoices and photos.
—Howard Walker, Robb Report, 10 June 2026
Used, late-model versions of the RAV4 hybrid often list for more than their original sticker prices, even with thousands of miles on their odometers.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 8 June 2026
That’s when Sanchez and 15-year-old cousin Diego Hernandez left Nipomo, off the Central Coast, with 60 crates of berries loaded onto a 2017 Ford Transit 150 Van with 290,000 miles on the odometer.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
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Michael Martin, Architectural Digest, 11 June 2026
Today, the car shows 33,010 kilometers (approximately 20,511 miles) on the odometer, and is being offered with a copy of the handwritten build ledger, the original owner’s manual, the tool kit, and a file of restoration invoices and photos.
—Howard Walker, Robb Report, 10 June 2026
Used, late-model versions of the RAV4 hybrid often list for more than their original sticker prices, even with thousands of miles on their odometers.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 8 June 2026
That’s when Sanchez and 15-year-old cousin Diego Hernandez left Nipomo, off the Central Coast, with 60 crates of berries loaded onto a 2017 Ford Transit 150 Van with 290,000 miles on the odometer.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 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 18 Jun. 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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