barometer

noun ba·rom·e·ter \ bə-ˈrä-mə-tər \

Updated on: 14 Apr 2018

Definition of barometer

1 : an instrument for determining the pressure of the atmosphere and hence for assisting in forecasting weather and for determining altitude (see altitude 1a)

2 : something that indicates fluctuations (as in public opinion)

housing sales and other economic barometers

3 : standard, test

a barometer to measure high school talent
—Jeff Fellenzer

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barometric

play \ˌber-ə-ˈme-trik, ˌba-rə-\ adjective

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barometrically

play \-tri-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

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barometry

play \bə-ˈrä-mə-trē\ noun

See barometer defined for English-language learners

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Examples of barometer in a Sentence

a legendary Broadway flop that has subsequently become the barometer by which failure in the theater is judged

Recent Examples of barometer from the Web

The more popular barometers of success were high school graduation rates and standardized test scores.

— james vaznis, BostonGlobe.com, "Boston high school grads missing goal on degrees," 11 Apr. 2018
Shares in Sberbank, one of Russia’s biggest banks and a barometer of its economic health, fell 17.3 percent.

— NBC News, "Russian oligarchs lose up to $16 billion after Trump sanctions," 10 Apr. 2018
Even so, the median is considered a good barometer of broad market trends.

— kenneth r. gosselin, courant.com, "Connecticut Home Sales Weak In February But Prices Jump," 9 Apr. 2018
The Huntley program has been a barometer for local programs in recent years.

— kevin mcgavin, Elgin Courier-News, "Bluegrass-bound: Kentucky recruit Dubem Anikamadu leads deep sprint group for Huntley boys track," 3 Apr. 2018
Artists in many ways are a barometer for where people’s consciousness is.

— adrienne green, The Atlantic, "Jesse Williams and John Legend on the Challenge of Creating Meaningful Art," 2 Apr. 2018
Dissolved oxygen levels are used as a barometer of water purity.

— frank kummer, Philly.com, "Pa. second in U.S. for excessive industry discharges into waterways, says report," 27 Mar. 2018
Inside the device are a surprising number of sensors: a three-axis accelerometer, GPS/GLONASS, barometer, and compass.

— valentina palladino, Ars Technica, "Amazfit Bip review: One peculiar week with a $99 smartwatch," 21 Mar. 2018
The majority of us can’t resist treating tournament results as the sole barometer for a coach or program’s success.

— paul daugherty, Cincinnati.com, "Doc: Bengals' Cordy Glenn deal a fan-friendly upgrade; FC Cincinnati making its case," 13 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'barometer.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

When did barometer become figurative?

Originally, barometer referred to an instrument that measures atmospheric pressure. Although this meaning is still very much in use, the word has taken on a strongly figurative sense denoting something that signals changes in conditions not necessarily related to the weather. This extended use of barometer has existed since at least the early 18th century, when Isaac Bickerstaff used it in an article in The Tatler: “I have an Engine in my Study, which is a Sort of a Political Barometer, or, to speak more intelligibly, a State Weather-Glass.”