metronome

noun

met·​ro·​nome ˈme-trə-ˌnōm 

: something (such as a device or app) designed to mark an exact tempo or rhythm by regularly repeated sounds or flashes

Illustration of metronome

Did you know?

The patent for the metronome was entered in 1816: "John Malzl [sic], of Poland-street, Middlesex, Machinist; for an instrument . . . which he denominates a Metronome, or musical time-keeper." The courts, however, later proved that the aforementioned Johann Maelzel copied a pendulum design of Dietrich Winkel, making Winkel the actual inventor. Nonetheless, Maelzel was the more successful marketer of the metronome and even has a notation named after him. The "M.M." in notations like "M.M. = 60" stands for "Maelzel's metronome" and indicates a tempo of 60 beats per minute or a beat per tick of the metronome as it ticks 60 times, in the case of our example. The name of the invention itself is based on the Greek words metron, meaning "measure," and nomos, meaning "law."

Examples of metronome in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

While Brockman took on a less public-facing role at the company after Altman became CEO in 2019, to many inside the company, Brockman is both the engine and the metronome of OpenAI. —Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025

The metronome commands each step, each horn movement, each note. —Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2025

Kaoru Mitoma and João Pedro have been constant threats on the flanks, while Pascal Groß remains the metronome in midfield, dictating the tempo with calm precision. —Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025

Forty years on, Eve Lom has turned the nightly cleanse into a metronome — skincare that keeps the tempo of life and the psyche perfectly in sync. —Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Greek metron + -nomos controlling, from nomos law — more at nimble

First Known Use

1816, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for metronome

• acrosome
• aerodrome
• catacomb
• centrosome
• chromosome
• cytochrome
• hippodrome
• honeycomb
• liposome
• meerschaum
• microtome
• monochrome

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Kids Definition

metronome

noun

met·​ro·​nome ˈme-trə-ˌnōm 

: an instrument that ticks regularly to help a music student play in exact time