Wiktionary

meter

See also: metër, Meter, -meter, and méter
Languages (21)
English
Aragonese • Danish • Dutch • Galician • Indonesian • Kholosi • Ladin • Ladino • Latin • Malay • Mòcheno • Norwegian Bokmål • Norwegian Nynorsk • Polish • Portuguese • Slovak • Slovene • Spanish • Swedish • Tatar
Page categories

English

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English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Pronunciation

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enPR: mē′tər, Rhymes: -iːtə(ɹ)

enPR: mĕt′ər, Rhymes: -ɛtə(ɹ)

restoration of original French pronunciation

Etymology 1

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From Middle English metere (“one who measures, measurer”), perhaps (with change in suffix) from Old English metend (“one who measures or metes”), equivalent to mete (“to measure”) +‎ -er. The transference from "person who measures" to "device that measures" was probably assisted by association with -meter, as in barometer, etc.

Cognate with Scots mettar, metter (“meter, measurer”), Saterland Frisian Meter, Meeter (“measurer, measuring device, gauge”), West Frisian mjitter (“measurer”), Dutch meter (“measurer, gauge”), German Low German Meter (“measuring device, gauge”), German Messer (“measurer, measuring device, gauge”), Swedish mätare (“measurer”).

Noun

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meter (countable and uncountable, plural meters)

  1. A device that measures things.
    1. A parking meter or similar device for collecting payment.
      gas meter
  2. (dated) One who metes or measures.
    a labouring coal-meter
  3. (American spelling) A line above or below a hanging net, to which the net is attached in order to strengthen it.
Derived terms
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Translations
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Verb

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meter (third-person singular simple present meters, present participle metering, simple past and past participle metered)

  1. To measure with a metering device.
  2. To imprint a postage mark with a postage meter.
  3. To regulate the flow of or to deliver in regulated amounts (usually of fluids but sometimes of other things such as anticipation or breath).
Translations
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Etymology 2

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Borrowed from French mètre, itself borrowed from Latin metrum, borrowed from Ancient Greek μέτρον (métron).

Noun

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meter (countable and uncountable, plural meters)

  1. US standard spelling of metre (“a unit of measure”).
    • 2024 September 27, Katie Hunt, “Scientists discover hidden ancient forest on treeless island”, in CNN‎[1]:
      No trees have grown on the windswept Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean for tens of thousands of years — just shrubs and other low-lying vegetation. That’s why a recent arboreal discovery nearly 20 feet (6 meters) beneath the ground caught researchers’ attention.
Derived terms
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Translations
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Etymology 3

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From Middle English meter, metre, from Old English meter and Old French metre; both from Latin metrum, from Ancient Greek μέτρον (métron).

Noun

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meter (countable and uncountable, plural meters)

  1. US standard spelling of metre (“the rhythm or measure in language”).
  2. (obsolete) A poem.
Derived terms
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Translations
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Anagrams

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Aragonese

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Etymology

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From Latin mittere.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /meˈte(ɾ)/
  • Syllabification: me‧ter
  • Rhymes: -e(ɾ)

Verb

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meter

  1. to put

Conjugation

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This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Danish

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Danish Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia da

Etymology

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Via German Meter, from French mètre, from Latin metrum, from Ancient Greek μέτρον (métron).

Noun

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meter c (singular definite meteren, plural indefinite meter)

  1. a metre, or meter (US) (SI unit of measurement)

Declension

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Declension of meter
common
gender 		singular plural
indefinite definite indefinite definite
nominative meter meteren meter meterne
genitive meters meterens meters meternes

Derived terms

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References

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Dutch

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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From Middle Dutch meter, metere, equivalent to meten (“to measure”) +‎ -er. Compare English meter, German Messer m. In some compounds conflated with Ancient Greek μέτρον (métron), which is unrelated or, according to one theory, distantly related with the Dutch verb.

Noun

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meter m (plural meters, diminutive metertje n)

  1. meter (device that measures things or indicates a physical quantity)
    Ik heb een meter nodig om de stroom in dit circuit te meten. ― I need a meter to measure the current in this circuit.
    De meters in het laboratorium zijn zeer nauwkeurig. ― The meters in the laboratory are very precise.
    Kun je dat kleine metertje even doorgeven? ― Can you pass that small meter please?
  2. measurer (person who measures something)
Derived terms
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Etymology 2

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Borrowed from French mètre, from Latin metrum, from Ancient Greek μέτρον (métron). Doublet of metrum.

Noun

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meter m (plural meters, diminutive metertje n)

  1. meter, metre (unit of distance)
    De kamer is vijf meter breed. ― The room is five meters wide.
    Ze liep een afstand van tien meter in de race. ― She ran a distance of ten metres in the race.
    Dit kleine metertje touw is alles wat ik over heb. ― This small metre of rope is all I have left.
Usage notes
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Generally, the singular is used after numerals.[1]

Derived terms
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Descendants
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  • Afrikaans: meter
  • → Aukan: meiti
  • → Caribbean Javanese: mèter
  • → Indonesian: meter
  • → Papiamentu: meter

Etymology 3

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From Middle Dutch meter, from metrijn, from Latin matrīna.

Noun

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meter f (plural meters, diminutive metertje n, masculine peter)

  1. godmother
    Synonyms: peettante, petemoei
    Ze is de trotse meter van haar neefje. ― She is the proud godmother of her nephew.
    Mijn zus werd gevraagd om meter te zijn bij de doop. ― My sister was asked to be the godmother at the baptism.
    Elk kind in ons gezin heeft een meter en een peter. ― Every child in our family has a godmother and a godfather.

References

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  1. ^ meter / meters at Team Taaladvies (vlaanderen.be)

Galician

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Etymology

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From Old Galician-Portuguese meter, from Latin mittō, mittēre (“to send, put”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *meyth₂- (“to exchange, remove”).

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /meˈteɾ/ [meˈt̪eɾ]
  • Rhymes: -eɾ
  • Hyphenation: me‧ter

Verb

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meter (first-person singular present meto, first-person singular preterite metín, past participle metido)

  1. (transitive) to put
  2. (transitive) to insert
  3. (transitive) to bring in
  4. (pronominal) to meddle, interfere
  5. (transitive) to deliver
    Meteulle unha patada. ― He delivered him a kick.

Conjugation

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    Conjugation of meter
Singular Plural
First-person
(eu) 		Second-person
(ti) 		Third-person
(el / ela / Vde.) 		First-person
(nós) 		Second-person
(vós) 		Third-person
(eles / elas / Vdes.)
Infinitive
Impersonal meter
Personal meter meteres meter metermos meterdes meteren
Gerund
metendo
Past participle
Masculine metido metidos
Feminine metida metidas
Indicative
Present meto metes mete metemos metedes meten
Imperfect metía metías metía metiamos metiades metían
Preterite metín metiches meteu metemos metestes meteron
Pluperfect metera meteras metera meteramos meterades meteran
Future meterei meterás meterá meteremos meteredes meterán
Conditional metería meterías metería meteriamos meteriades meterían
Subjunctive
Present meta metas meta metamos metades metan
Imperfect metese meteses metese metésemos metésedes metesen
Future meter meteres meter metermos meterdes meteren
Imperative
Affirmative mete meta metamos metede metan
Negative (non) non metas non meta non metamos non metades non metan
    Reintegrated conjugation of meter (See Appendix:Reintegrationism)
Singular Plural
First-person
(eu) 		Second-person
(ti / tu) 		Third-person
(ele / ela / você) 		First-person
(nós) 		Second-person
(vós) 		Third-person
(eles / elas / vocês)
Infinitive
Impersonal meter
Personal meter meteres meter metermos meterdes meterem
Gerund
metendo
Past participle
Masculine metido metidos
Feminine metida metidas
Indicative
Present meto metes mete metemos metedes, meteis metem
Imperfect metia metias metia metíamos metíades, metíeis, metíais1 metiam
Preterite metim, meti meteste, meteche1 meteu metemos metestes metêrom, meteram
Pluperfect metera meteras metera metêramos metêrades, metêreis, metêrais1 meteram
Future meterei meterás meterá meteremos meteredes, metereis meterám, meterão
Conditional meteria meterias meteria meteríamos meteríades, meteríeis, meteríais1 meteriam
Subjunctive
Present meta metas meta metamos metades, metais metam
Imperfect metesse metesses metesse metêssemos metêssedes, metêsseis metessem
Future meter meteres meter metermos meterdes meterem
Imperative
Affirmative mete meta metamos metede, metei metam
Negative (nom) nom metas nom meta nom metamos nom metades, nom metais nom metam

1Less recommended.

References

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Further reading

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Indonesian

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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Doublet of metrum.

Noun

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mètêr (plural meter-meter)

  1. meter, a device that measures things
  2. meter, metre, the base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI)
    Sebatang pohon setinggi 5 meter akan digambar dengan skala 1:25.
    A 5-meter tall tree will be drawn on a scale of 1:25.
Derived terms
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Etymology 2

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From Dutch meter, from Middle Dutch meter, from metrijn, from Latin matrīna.

Noun

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mètêr (plural meter-meter)

  1. godmother

Further reading

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Kholosi

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Etymology

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From Sanskrit मूत्र (mūtrá).

Noun

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meter ?

  1. urine

References

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  • Eric Anonby; Hassan Mohebi Bahmani (2014), “Shipwrecked and Landlocked: Kholosi, an Indo-Aryan Language in South-west Iran”, in Cahier de Studia Iranica xx‎[2], pages 13-36

Ladin

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Etymology

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From Latin mittere.

Verb

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meter

  1. to put, place

Conjugation

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  • Ladin conjugation varies from one region to another. Hence, the following conjugation should be considered as typical, not as exhaustive.
Conjugation of meter (third conjugation)
infinitive meter, mete
auxiliary verb avei gerund metan
past participle metù
person singular plural
first second third first second third
indicative ie tu el / ela nos vos ei / eles
present mete metes met meton meteis met
imperfect metove metoves metova metovan metovais metova
future metaré metaras metarà metaron metareis metarà
subjunctive che ie che tu che el / ela che nos che vos che ei / eles
present mete metes mete meton meteis mete
imperfect metesse metesses metessa metessan metessais metessa
imperative – tu – nos vos –
— met — meton metede —

Ladino

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Verb

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meter

  1. to put

Latin

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Pronunciation

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Verb

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mēter

  1. first-person singular present active subjunctive of mētor

Malay

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Etymology

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Either from English metre or meter, or Dutch meter, from French mètre, from Ancient Greek μέτρον (métron, “measure, rule, length, size, poetic metre”). Doublet of matra

Pronunciation

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Noun

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meter (Jawi spelling ميتر, plural meter-meter or meter2)

  1. A meter:
    1. The basic unit of length in the International System of Units (SI: Système International d'Unités); a metre or meter.
      lima meter ― five metres
    2. A device that is used to measure and record something (distance, quantity of something used, etc.).
      meter air ― water meter

Further reading

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Mòcheno

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Etymology

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From French mètre, from Latin metrum (“a measure”), from Ancient Greek μέτρον (métron).

Noun

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meter m (plural meter)

  1. meter (unit of measure)

References

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Norwegian Bokmål

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Norwegian Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia no

Noun

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meter m (definite singular meteren, indefinite plural meter, definite plural meterne)

  1. a metre, or meter (US) (SI unit of length)

Derived terms

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Norwegian Nynorsk

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Norwegian Nynorsk Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia nn

Noun

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meter m (definite singular meteren, indefinite plural meter, definite plural meterane or metrane)

  1. a metre, or meter (US) (SI unit of length)

Derived terms

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Polish

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Pronunciation

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Noun

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meter m inan

  1. (Podhale) alternative form of metr (“metre, meter”) (one hundred centimeters)

Further reading

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  • Jan Karłowicz (1903), “metr”, in Hieronim Łopaciński, Wacław Taczanowski, editors, Słownik gwar polskich [Dictionary of Polish dialects] (in Polish), volume 3: L do O, Kraków: Akademia Umiejętności, page 141

Portuguese

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Alternative forms

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  • metter (pre-standardization spelling)

Etymology

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Inherited from Old Galician-Portuguese meter, from Latin mittere (“to send, to put”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *meyth₂- (“to exchange, remove”).

Pronunciation

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Verb

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meter (first-person singular present meto, first-person singular preterite meti, past participle metido)

  2. (transitive) to put in; to insert into
    Meti o livro na mochila e fui embora. ― I put my book in my backpack and left.
  4. (transitive) to put (to place something somewhere)
  5. (reflexive) to meddle, interfere
    • 2012, Luís Fernando Veríssimo, “Padre Alfredo”, in Diálogos Impossíveis, Rio de Janeiro: Editora Objetiva, →ISBN, page 27:
      — Já pensaram no que vem por aí? Uma vida inteira, juntos? As brigas, às vezes por mesquinharia? O ciuminho? Os sogros se metendo? As diferenças: filme de pancadaria ou filme romântico? Luz acesa para um ler quando o outro quer dormir? Um não podendo viver sem ar refrigerado, apesar da rinite do outro? Já pensaram?
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
  6. (reflexive) to get into (to become involved in) [with em ‘something’]
  7. (transitive, vulgar) to fuck, screw

Usage notes

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In Brazilian Portuguese, when used in senses 1 and 2, this word is seen as informal and usually as having a more emphatic, slapdash or aggressive connotation than its synonyms colocar and pôr. Compare the sentences Coloquei o livro na mochila and Meti o livro na mochila, both translating to I put the book in the backpack. While the first one merely describes the action, the second one is usually interpreted as a mildly aggressive or hasty action. See also botar, which is also informal.

Conjugation

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    Conjugation of meter (See Appendix:Portuguese verbs)
Singular Plural
First-person
(eu) 		Second-person
(tu) 		Third-person
(ele / ela / você) 		First-person
(nós) 		Second-person
(vós) 		Third-person
(eles / elas / vocês)
Infinitive
Impersonal meter
Personal meter meteres meter metermos meterdes meterem
Gerund
metendo
Past participle
Masculine metido metidos
Feminine metida metidas
Indicative
Present meto metes mete metemos meteis metem
Imperfect metia metias metia metíamos metíeis metiam
Preterite meti meteste meteu metemos metestes meteram
Pluperfect metera meteras metera metêramos metêreis meteram
Future meterei meterás meterá meteremos metereis meterão
Conditional meteria meterias meteria meteríamos meteríeis meteriam
Subjunctive
Present meta metas meta metamos metais metam
Imperfect metesse metesses metesse metêssemos metêsseis metessem
Future meter meteres meter metermos meterdes meterem
Imperative
Affirmative mete meta metamos metei metam
Negative (não) não metas não meta não metamos não metais não metam

Derived terms

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Further reading

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Slovak

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Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /mecer/, [ˈmecer]
  • Rhymes: -ecer
  • Hyphenation: me‧ter

Noun

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meter m inan

  1. meter, metre (unit of length)

Further reading

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  • “meter”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2026

Slovene

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Noun

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meter m

  1. meter, metre (unit of length)

Further reading

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  • “meter”, in Slovarji Inštituta za slovenski jezik Frana Ramovša ZRC SAZU (in Slovene), 2014–2026

Spanish

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Etymology

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Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *mey-?
Proto-Indo-European *meyth₂-
Proto-Indo-European *-eti
Proto-Indo-European *méyth₂eti
Proto-Italic *meitō
Old Latin mītō
Latin mittō
Old Spanish meter
Spanish meter

    Inherited from Old Spanish meter, from Latin mittere (“to send”). The semantic shift from "send" to "put" probably occurred in Vulgar Latin.

    Cognate with English mess and also mission, message. Compare also French mettre, Friulian meti, Portuguese meter, and Italian mettere.

    Pronunciation

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    Verb

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    meter (first-person singular present meto, first-person singular preterite metí, past participle metido)

    1. to put in, insert
      Synonym: insertar
      Meta la tarjeta en la ranura.
      Insert the card into the slot.
    2. (sports) to score
      meter un gol ― to score a goal
    3. to make (noise)
      meter ruido ― to be noisy
    4. to cram, to stuff, to stick, to shove
    5. (reflexive) to meddle, interfere, to get into
      Synonyms: inmiscuirse, meter la nariz
      ¡No te metas en lo que no te importa!
      Don't get involved in other people's business! / Don't meddle in others' affairs!
    6. (reflexive) to get into (a small space)
    8. (reflexive) to get into, to get in
      meterse en problemas ― to get in trouble.
      Está tratando de meterse en tu cabeza.
      He's trying to get into your head.
    9. (reflexive) to get into a profession
      Él se metió para bombero.
      He became a firefighter.
      Yo me meto a cura.
      I’m becoming a priest.
    10. (reflexive, colloquial) to do drugs
      me meto ― I do drugs

    Conjugation

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        Conjugation of meter (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)
    infinitive meter
    gerund metiendo
    past participle masculine feminine
    singular metido metida
    plural metidos metidas
    singular plural
    1st person 2nd person 3rd person 1st person 2nd person 3rd person
    indicative yo tú
    vos     		él/ella/ello
    usted     		nosotros
    nosotras     		vosotros
    vosotras     		ellos/ellas
    ustedes
    present meto metestú
    metésvos     		mete metemos metéis meten
    imperfect metía metías metía metíamos metíais metían
    preterite metí metiste metió metimos metisteis metieron
    future meteré meterás meterá meteremos meteréis meterán
    conditional metería meterías metería meteríamos meteríais meterían
    subjunctive yo tú
    vos     		él/ella/ello
    usted     		nosotros
    nosotras     		vosotros
    vosotras     		ellos/ellas
    ustedes
    present meta metastú
    metásvos2     		meta metamos metáis metan
    imperfect
    (ra)     		metiera metieras metiera metiéramos metierais metieran
    imperfect
    (se)     		metiese metieses metiese metiésemos metieseis metiesen
    future1 metiere metieres metiere metiéremos metiereis metieren
    imperative — tú
    vos     		usted nosotros
    nosotras     		vosotros
    vosotras     		ustedes
    affirmative metetú
    metévos     		meta metamos meted metan
    negative no metas no meta no metamos no metáis no metan

    1Rare; now chiefly used in legal language.
    2Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tuteo-form for the present subjunctive.

        Selected combined forms of meter

    These forms are generated automatically and may not actually be used. Pronoun usage varies by region.

    singular plural
    1st person 2nd person 3rd person 1st person 2nd person 3rd person
    with infinitive meter dative meterme meterte meterle, meterse meternos meteros meterles, meterse
    accusative meterme meterte meterlo, meterla, meterse meternos meteros meterlos, meterlas, meterse
    with gerund metiendo dative metiéndome metiéndote metiéndole, metiéndose metiéndonos metiéndoos metiéndoles, metiéndose
    accusative metiéndome metiéndote metiéndolo, metiéndola, metiéndose metiéndonos metiéndoos metiéndolos, metiéndolas, metiéndose
    with informal second-person singular tuteo imperative mete dative méteme métete métele métenos not used mételes
    accusative méteme métete mételo, métela métenos not used mételos, mételas
    with informal second-person singular voseo imperative meté dative meteme metete metele metenos not used meteles
    accusative meteme metete metelo, metela metenos not used metelos, metelas
    with formal second-person singular imperative meta dative métame not used métale, métase métanos not used métales
    accusative métame not used métalo, métala, métase métanos not used métalos, métalas
    with first-person plural imperative metamos dative not used metámoste metámosle metámonos metámoos metámosles
    accusative not used metámoste metámoslo, metámosla metámonos metámoos metámoslos, metámoslas
    with informal second-person plural imperative meted dative metedme not used metedle metednos meteos metedles
    accusative metedme not used metedlo, metedla metednos meteos metedlos, metedlas
    with formal second-person plural imperative metan dative métanme not used métanle métannos not used métanles, métanse
    accusative métanme not used métanlo, métanla métannos not used métanlos, métanlas, métanse
        Conjugation of meterse (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)
    infinitive meterse
    gerund metiéndose
    past participle masculine feminine
    singular metido metida
    plural metidos metidas
    singular plural
    1st person 2nd person 3rd person 1st person 2nd person 3rd person
    personal non-finite yo tú
    vos     		él/ella/ello
    usted     		nosotros
    nosotras     		vosotros
    vosotras     		ellos/ellas
    ustedes
    infinitive meterme meterte meterse meternos meteros meterse
    gerund metiéndome metiéndote metiéndose metiéndonos metiéndoos metiéndose
    indicative yo tú
    vos     		él/ella/ello
    usted     		nosotros
    nosotras     		vosotros
    vosotras     		ellos/ellas
    ustedes
    present me meto te metestú
    te metésvos     		se mete nos metemos os metéis se meten
    imperfect me metía te metías se metía nos metíamos os metíais se metían
    preterite me metí te metiste se metió nos metimos os metisteis se metieron
    future me meteré te meterás se meterá nos meteremos os meteréis se meterán
    conditional me metería te meterías se metería nos meteríamos os meteríais se meterían
    subjunctive yo tú
    vos     		él/ella/ello
    usted     		nosotros
    nosotras     		vosotros
    vosotras     		ellos/ellas
    ustedes
    present me meta te metastú
    te metásvos2     		se meta nos metamos os metáis se metan
    imperfect
    (ra)     		me metiera te metieras se metiera nos metiéramos os metierais se metieran
    imperfect
    (se)     		me metiese te metieses se metiese nos metiésemos os metieseis se metiesen
    future1 me metiere te metieres se metiere nos metiéremos os metiereis se metieren
    imperative — tú
    vos     		usted nosotros
    nosotras     		vosotros
    vosotras     		ustedes
    affirmative métetetú
    metetevos     		métase metámonos meteos métanse
    negative no te metas no se meta no nos metamos no os metáis no se metan

    1Rare; now chiefly used in legal language.
    2Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tuteo-form for the present subjunctive.

    Derived terms

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    Further reading

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    Swedish

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    Etymology

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    Borrowed from English meter.

    Pronunciation

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    Noun

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    meter c

    1. a metre; the SI-unit
    2. (music) Rhythm or measure in verse
    3. a meter; a device that measures things.

    Declension

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    Declension of meter
    nominative genitive
    singular indefinite meter meters
    definite metern meterns
    plural indefinite meter meters
    definite meterna meternas
    Declension of meter
    nominative genitive
    singular indefinite meter meters
    definite metern meterns
    plural indefinite metrar metrars
    definite metrarna metrarnas

    Tatar

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    Etymology

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    Borrowed from English meter.

    Noun

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    meter

    1. meter

    Declension

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    Declension of meter
    nominative meter
    genitive meternıñ
    dative meterga
    accusative meternı
    locative meterda
    ablative meterdan
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