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A tachometer is literally a "speed-measurer", since the Greek root tach- means "speed". This is clear in the names of the tachyon, a particle of matter that travels faster than the speed of light (if it actually exists, it's so fast that it's impossible to see with any instrument), and tachycardia, a medical condition in which the heart races uncontrollably. Since the speed that an auto tachometer measures is speed of rotation of the crankshaft, the numbers it reports are revolutions per minute, or rpm's.
Examples of tachometer in a Sentence
Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 6 Sep. 2024
The case sides also showcase two large sapphire openings that mirror the car’s windows, while the retrograde hour and minute indicators resemble its tachometer and speedometer.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 19 Aug. 2024
The other trigger for purists is the loss of the analog tachometer front and center, replaced by a curved 12.6-inch screen.
—Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 9 July 2024
Bradley Iger The current-generation 911 (992 in Porsche-speak) will probably be the last to use an analog dial as a tachometer.
—Bradley Iger, Ars Technica, 2 Dec. 2023
See all Example Sentences for tachometer 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tachometer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near tachometer
Cite this Entry
“Tachometer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tachometer. Accessed 15 Sep. 2024.
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tachometer
noun
from Greek tachos "speed" and English meter "an instrument for measuring"
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