a function of a topological space that gives, for any two points in the space, a value equal to the distance between them
"The mathematician proved that every normed vector space admits a metric that satisfies the triangle inequality."
a decimal unit of measurement of the metric system (based on meters and kilograms and seconds)
"convert all the measurements to metric units"
"it is easier to work in metric"
a system of related measures that facilitates the quantification of some particular characteristic
"The new marketing metric tracks customer engagement rates to quantify the effectiveness of our social media campaigns."
A measure for something; a means of deriving a quantitative measurement or approximation for otherwise qualitative phenomena (especially used in engineering).
"The engineer established a key metric to quantify the system's efficiency despite its complex, non-numerical behaviors."
In plain English: A metric is a standard unit of measurement used to quantify something, such as length, weight, or temperature.
"The new metric for success is based on customer satisfaction scores rather than sales numbers."
To measure or analyse statistical data concerning the quality or effectiveness of a process.
"The manager implemented new metrics to evaluate the efficiency of our customer support workflow."
In plain English: To metric means to measure something using standard units of length, weight, or volume.
"The new app will help you track your daily steps and calories so that users can metric their fitness progress easily."
Of or relating to the metric system of measurement.
"The new road signs were updated to display distances in meters instead of miles."
In plain English: When something is metric, it uses the standard system of measurement that most countries around the world rely on instead of inches or feet.
"The new metric system makes measuring ingredients much easier for home cooks."
Usage: Use "metric" as an adjective specifically when referring to units based on the decimal system, such as meters and liters, rather than imperial measurements like feet and pounds. Do not confuse this term with general statistics; while data analysis is often called metrics in business contexts, that usage relies on the noun form or a different grammatical structure entirely.
The word "metric" comes from the French métrique and originally meant "pertaining to the system based on the meter." Its root is the Greek-derived Latin word metrum, which simply means a meter.