metric system

[ me-trik- sis-tuhm ]

noun

1. a decimal system of weights and measures, based on the meter (39.37 inches) for length and the gram (15.432 grains) for mass or weight, first adopted in France in the 17th century, now universally used in science, and officially used for all purposes in most countries. Derived units are the liter (0.908 U.S. dry quart, or 1.0567 U.S. liquid quart) for capacity, being the volume of 1,000 grams of water under specified conditions; the are (119.6 square yards) for area, being the area of a square 10 meters on a side; and the stere (35.315 cubic feet) for volume, being the volume of a cube 1 meter on a side, the term “stere,” however, usually being used only in measuring firewood. Names for units larger and smaller than these are formed from the above names by the use of the following prefixes: kilo-, 1,000; hecto-, 100; deka-, 10; deci-, 0.1; centi-, 0.01; milli-, 0.001. To these are often added: tera-, one trillion; giga-, one billion; mega-, one million. With the addition of basic physical units it is now officially known by the French name Le Système International d'Unités (abbreviation SI ) or in English as the International System of Units.

metric system

noun

1. any decimal system of units based on the metre. For scientific purposes the Système International d'Unités (SI units) is used

metric system

1. A decimal system of weights and measures based on the meter as a unit of length, the kilogram as a unit of mass, and the liter as a unit of volume.
2. Compare US Customary SystemSee Table at measurement

metric system

1. A system of measurement in which the basic units are the meter , the second, and the kilogram . In this system, the ratios between units of measurement are multiples of ten. For example, a kilogram is a thousand grams , and a centimeter is one-hundredth of a meter . Virtually all countries of the world, except the United States, use the metric system. Among scientists, the metric system is called SI — an abbreviation for Système internationale , which is French for “International System.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of metric system¹

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

The metric system is the tool of the devil!

From Salon

If Janine, my wife, is cooking something, many of her recipes are from American cookbooks, and she will need to convert them to the metric system.

From New York Times

Mac joked about the quickest way to lower temperatures: “Convert to the metric system. When we convert to the metric system, temperatures will drop 15 degrees, overnight.”

From Washington Post

Shall it require all hardware manufacturers to sell screws in both metric and traditional units even if the manufacturer believes that the metric system is the product of godless, satanic revolutionaries?

From Washington Post

The metric system was a product of the French Revolution, which overthrew absolute monarchy and took the pied du roi down with it.

From Washington Post