barometer

noun

ba·​rom·​e·​ter bə-ˈrä-mə-tər How to pronounce barometer (audio)
1
: an instrument for determining the pressure of the atmosphere and hence for assisting in forecasting weather and for determining altitude (see altitude sense 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 talentJeff Fellenzer
barometric adjective
barometrically adverb
barometry noun

Did you know?

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.”

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 on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
During his first term, Mr. Trump often referred to the stock market as a barometer of success for his presidency. Irineo Cabreros, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025 His approval is viewed as a key barometer of how Americans feel about the administration. Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025 Virginia’s elections have also served as a barometer for the hot-button issues shaping swing voters’ decisions. Savannah Kuchar, USA Today, 21 Apr. 2025 As a barometer of capital flows and investor sentiment, the bank’s earnings show that volatility, while unsettling, isn’t always unprofitable. Catherine Baab, Quartz, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for barometer

Word History

Etymology

baro- + -meter

Note: The word was probably introduced by Robert boyle. It occurs in his New Experiments and Observations Touching Cold (London, 1665), p. 27: "… consulting the Barometer (if to avoid Circumlocutions I may so call the whole Instrument wherein a Mercurial Cylinder of 29 or 30 Inches is kept suspended after the manner of the Torricellian Experiment) I found the Quicksilver lower then [sic] it had been a great while." Boyle also employed the word baroscope for the instrument.

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of barometer was in 1665

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Cite this Entry

“Barometer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barometer. Accessed 5 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

barometer

noun
ba·​rom·​e·​ter bə-ˈräm-ət-ər How to pronounce barometer (audio)
: an instrument that measures the pressure of the atmosphere to determine probable weather changes
barometric adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on barometer

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