me·ter¹ / ˈmētər/ (Brit. me·tre) • n. the fundamental unit of length in the metric system, equal to 100 centimeters or approx. 39.37 inches. ∎  (—— meters) a race over a specified number of meters: he placed third in the 1,000 meters.DERIVATIVES: me·ter·age / -ij/ n.me·ter² (Brit. me·tre) • n. the rhythm of a piece of poetry, determined by the number and length of feet in a line: the Horatian ode has an intricate governing meter | unexpected changes of stress and meter. ∎  the basic pulse and rhythm of a piece of music.me·ter³ • n. a device that measures and records the quantity, degree, or rate of something, esp. the amount of electricity, gas, or water used: they read the meters once a month. ∎ Philately an imprint or label of specified value produced under government permit for the prepayment of postage.• v. [tr.] [often as adj.] (metered) measure by means of a meter: a metered supply of water.

meter1 measurer. XIV. f. METE + -ER1.

meter2 apparatus for measuring quantities. XIX. First in gas m.; perh. a use of METER1 suggested by gasometer (see next).

meter Instrument that measures a particular quantity. For example, a gas meter measures the amount of gas that flows in a certain time, and a voltmeter measures the voltage between two points in an electrical circuit.