metric ton

noun

1. a unit of 1000 kilograms, equivalent to 2204.62 avoirdupois pounds.

metric ton

noun

1. another name (not in technical use) for tonne

metric ton

1. A unit of mass or weight in the metric system equal to 1,000 kilograms (2,205 pounds).
2. See Table at measurement

Word History and Origins

Origin of metric ton¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

Under these conditions, the U.S. would lose between 2.9 and 4.6 million metric tons of combined soybean and corn exports annually, while Brazil’s exports could swell by nearly 9 million metric tons each year.

From Salon

To meet that target, Californians would need to eliminate an additional 113 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year — on par with the emissions from 29 coal-fired power plants.

From Los Angeles Times

Twice the size of Texas, the mass of about 79,000 metric tons of plastic floating in the Pacific Ocean between California and Hawaii is growing at an exponential pace, according to researchers.

From Los Angeles Times

According to the nonprofit, this redistribution of food, much of which was recovered from farms or wholesale produce markets, mitigated an estimated 1.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

From Salon

These include monitoring, measurement, reporting, and verification protocols on the supply side, so that one credit really means a metric ton of carbon removed.

From Salon