What does metre mean?
Metre has two closely related meanings. As a unit of length, it is one hundred centimetres, or approximately 3.28 feet, and belongs to the metric system. In poetry, metre refers to the arrangement of syllables and stresses that creates a poem’s underlying rhythm, often through repeated metrical feet such as iambs or trochees. The word is standard in British and Commonwealth English, while American English normally spells both senses “meter.” Although metre can describe the measurable length of an object or distance, its literary sense is more than simple rhythm: it identifies a patterned structure within language. The word’s connection with poetry is especially memorable because it shares an origin with related terms such as metric, metrical, metronome, and diameter, all ultimately associated with the Greek word for “measure.”
nounA unit of length equal to 100 centimetres. In poetic terminology, the rhythmic pattern of syllables and stresses in a line or passage of verse.
- A unit of length equal to 100 centimetres, used in the metric system.
- The rhythmic pattern of syllables and stresses in poetry, especially when analysed according to the arrangement of feet.
"The metre of the poem shifts as the speaker moves from excitement to reflection."
"The swimming pool is fifty metres long."
"Her reading gives the verse a measured, solemn metre."
The standard British plural is “metres”; American English uses “meters,” with “meter” as the usual singular spelling.
"The course covers five hundred metres."
The same word that measures 100 centimetres also measures the beat of a poem: metre comes from Greek metron, meaning “measure.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does metre come from?
The word comes ultimately from Greek metron, meaning “measure,” through Latin metrum, which referred to a unit of measurement. English borrowed it in the Middle English period, and its poetic sense developed as writers used the word for the measured arrangement of syllables and stresses. Its relatives include metric, metrical, metronome, and diameter.
Related word forms
How metre is actually used
“Metre” is standard in British and Commonwealth English for both the unit of length and poetic rhythm. American English uses “meter” for both. In literary discussion, metre usually refers specifically to the organization of metrical feet rather than to rhythm in its broadest sense.
Easily confused with metre
“Meter” is the usual American spelling for both the unit of length and poetic rhythm, while “metre” is the standard British spelling for both.