2 syllables: me, tre. Stress on me.
MEE-tur
/ˈmitɚ/
metre is pronounced MEE-tur (/ˈmitɚ/). It has two syllables (me-tre), with the stress on "me". Metre is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one hundred centimetres or approximately 39.37 inches. Beyond measurement, the term also denotes a pattern of rhythm in poetry or music. In everyday use, it’s often spelled ‘meter’ in American English, though ‘metre’ remains standard in British English and many other varieties. The word emphasizes precise quantification and structured rhythm across contexts.
Metre is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one hundred centimetres or approximately 39.37 inches. Beyond measurement, the term also denotes a pattern of rhythm in poetry or music. In everyday use, it’s often spelled ‘meter’ in American English, though ‘metre’ remains standard in British English and many other varieties. The word emphasizes precise quantification and structured rhythm across contexts.
- Common phonetic challenges: unreduced second syllable leading to /ˈmiːtər/ in all accents, and misplacing stress on the second syllable (met-RE) rather than first met-re. Take time to reduce the second syllable to /tə/ or /ər/ depending on the variant. - Troublesome consonants: final /r/ in US is often pronounced in connected speech; in UK/AU, it’s often non-rhotic, with /ˈmiːtə/ or /ˈmiːtə/. - Avoid lengthening the first vowel or inserting extra consonants that aren’t in the word. Practical corrections: slow it down, practice with native audio, and use minimal pairs like metre/meter, metre/metre to lock in the right rhythm.
"The fabric was measured to be one metre long."
"In poetry, the metre of the sonnet follows a strict iambic pattern."
"The project required measuring a metre of copper piping."
/ˈmiːtər/ (US: /ˈmiːtər/, UK/AU: /ˈmiːtə/). Stress falls on the first syllable. Start with a long ‘ee’ vowel as in ‘meet,’ then a softened vowel in the second syllable. The final ‘re’ is pronounced as a schwa in UK/AU: /tə/ or as /ər/ in General American when spelling ‘meter,’ but British English tends toward /tə/ for metre. Mouth positions: lips relaxed, tongue high for /iː/, jaw relaxed, final syllable with a light central vowel. You’ll hear a smooth transition between syllables with minimal glide.
Two common errors: (1) Pronouncing the second syllable as a full ‘er’ as in ‘teacher’ instead of a reduced /tə/ or /ər/. (2) Misplacing the stress, saying /mɛtˈrɜː/ or /ˈmiːt/. Correction: keep primary stress on the first syllable /ˈmiː/ and reduce the second to /tə/ (UK/AU) or /ər/ (US) by lightly connecting the vowels. Practice with minimal pairs like ‘meter’ (US) vs. ‘metre’ (UK) to solidify the pattern. Practice slowly and then increase speed while maintaining reduction in the second syllable.
US tends to tilt toward /ˈmiːtər/ with a rhotic final /ɹ/ in connected speech, whereas UK/AU favor /ˈmiːtə/ with a non-rhotic ending. The main vowel /iː/ remains constant, but the second syllable is lighter in UK/AU, often reduced to /tə/ rather than /tər/ in GA. In careful speech, UK/AU may realize a schwa; US may show a clear rhotic /ɹ/ in connected speech. Rhythm and intonation also influence perceived pronunciation across accents.
The challenge lies in the unstressed second syllable and the subtle vowel quality: moving from a long front vowel /iː/ to a reduced vowel without a strong vowel in metrical contexts. For non-native speakers, balancing vowel length (temporal) with reduction in the second syllable and adapting to rhoticity (US) or its absence (UK/AU) makes it tricky. Focus on keeping a crisp first syllable and a light, neutral second syllable.
Yes— British English uses metre as the standard spelling for the metric unit and for poetic rhythm, while US English uses meter for both. The pronunciation remains essentially /ˈmiːtər/ (US) or /ˈmiːtə/ (UK/AU), but the spelling reflects regional norms. When discussing poetry or the metric system, mind the spelling to signal your audience's variant confidently, which reinforces correct pronunciation expectations in context.
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- US: final /ɹ/ is pronounced in connected speech; ensure you lightly pronounce /ɹ/ without a full vowel. - UK/AU: non-rhotic endings; the second syllable reduces to /tə/; keep a relaxed jaw and a less pronounced ‘r’ in careful speech. - Focus on vowel quality: /iː/ in the first syllable; the second syllable should be a quick, neutral vowel. IPA references help you keep accurate tongue position. - Intonation: keep a light, even tone on the second syllable; avoid a falling pitch that makes metre sound heavy.
Metre comes from French metre, from Latin mensura meaning ‘measure,’ from the verb metiri ‘to measure.’ The root is mysqli (measure) in Latin, with related words like metre and meter in English. The spelling metre reflects the British convention, aligning with other metric terms and the -re suffix from Old French -re. In early modern English, metre established as a unit of length for the metric system following the 18th-century standardization, while meter emerged in American English as the preferred term for the same quantitative concept. The word’s broader linguistic journey parallels the spread of the metric system in Europe, where metre as a unit and the concept of rhythm or measure in poetry share a common origin in the idea of measurement and balance. First known use in English traces to scientific and literary discourse in the 18th–19th centuries, aligning with international metrological standardization and European philological traditions. Today, metre persists as both a physical unit and a conceptual framework for rhythm in verse and music across Commonwealth countries and other Commonwealth-influenced varieties, even as ‘meter’ remains dominant in the United States for devices and measurement.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "metre" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "metre"
-tte sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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