noun

meter

metre, meter, rhythm

The room is five meters long.

The room is five metres long.

The gas meter is in the basement.

The gas meter is in the basement.

The poem is written in iambic pentameter.

The poem is written in iambic pentameter.

((noun)) A unit of length. A metre is about 3.3 feet.

((noun)) A device for measuring. I need to read the water meter.

((noun)) The rhythm of a piece of poetry or music. The song has a simple 4/4 meter.

For unit: yard, foot; For device: gauge, counter; For rhythm: cadence, beat

From Greek 'metron' (measure). All meanings relate to measuring something.

Think of 'measure'. A meter measures length. A gas meter measures gas. Poetic meter measures rhythm.

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