T. S. EliotScientific Monthly
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The metric system was invented in France in the years following the French Revolution, and a version of it is now used in most of the world to measure distance, weight, and volume. Basic metric units include the kilogram (the basic unit of weight), the liter (the basic unit of volume), and of course the meter (the basic unit of length—see below). Metric—or more often metrical—can also refer to the basic underlying rhythm of songs and poetry. So while the scientists' measurements are usually metric, the poets' are usually metrical.
Synonyms
Examples of metric in a Sentence
Nathan Ruiz, Baltimore Sun, 13 Sep. 2023
The number of companies with metrics and goals integrated into their DEI plans also rose from 60% to 75% over the same time frame.
—Arcelia Martin, Dallas News, 13 Sep. 2023
Those three pillars– eating, learning, and playing– are important for a number of metrics.
—Malaika Jabali, Essence, 6 Sep. 2023
The Artist 100 measures artist activity across key metrics of music consumption, blending album and track sales, radio airplay and streaming to provide a weekly multi-dimensional ranking of artist popularity.
—Xander Zellner, Billboard, 6 Sep. 2023
Of course, founders’ ability to raise funds this fall depends a lot on the stage of their company, their metrics, and, of course, the sector.
—Anne Sraders, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2023
Cannabis, however, is not one of the metrics that My E Listing used to rank each state.
—oregonlive, 4 Sep. 2023
Every day, rankings in a variety of categories on these metrics are published.
—Roxane Gay, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2023
Employee engagement scores are a particularly worrisome metric, another said.
—Bypeter Vanham, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2023
Nathan Ruiz, Baltimore Sun, 1 Sep. 2023
The preservation study highlights that on nearly every metric evaluated, East McKinney lags the rest of the city in terms of economic and social well-being, and residents are vulnerable to displacement from the area in the face of these challenges and changes.
—Haeven Gibbons, Dallas News, 28 Aug. 2023
The journal is also full of games, maps, helpful phrases in other languages, metric information, quotes and fun facts.
—Elizabeth Berry, Good Housekeeping, 23 Aug. 2023
The company says that viewing carries the most weight in its demand metric and social media posting the least.
—Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Aug. 2023
Race tires, the kind that use metric sizing and aren't road legal, wrap 18-inch center-lock wheels.
—K.c. Colwell, Car and Driver, 18 Aug. 2023
Despite ranking in the 2nd percentile in fastball velocity at around 91 mph, Coulombe ranks in the top 25% of virtually every key metric Statcast tracks, according to Baseball Savant.
—Jacob Calvin Meyer, Baltimore Sun, 10 Aug. 2023
All those additional planes in the sky come with carbon emissions—roughly 800 metric tonnes of it, as of last year.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 3 Aug. 2023
Squid Game is still the all-time leader for any Netflix title, but Wednesday moves ahead of Stranger Things season four atop the English-langauge series list based on the longer window and the views metric.
—Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 June 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'metric.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Noun
metric "metrical art, prosody" (in part borrowed from Late Latin metrica —short for ars metrica "metrical art"— from feminine of Latin metricus "metrical, rhythmic," borrowed from Greek metrikós; in part borrowed from Greek metrikḗ —short for metrikḕ téchnē "metrical craft"— or metriká, from, respectively, feminine singular and neuter plural of metrikós "by measurement, metrical") + -ics; (senses 2-3) probably noun derivative of metric "of measurement," earliest in mathematical use, probably after German Metrik — more at metrical
Adjective
borrowed from French métrique, from mètre meter entry 3 + -ique -ic entry 1
Phrases Containing metric
Dictionary Entries Near metric
Cite this Entry
“Metric.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metric. Accessed 22 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
metric
adjective
Medical Definition
More from Merriam-Webster on metric
Nglish: Translation of metric for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of metric for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about metric
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