Illustration of metronome
metronome
noun
met·ro·nome
ˈme-trə-ˌnōm 
: a device designed to mark exact time by a regularly repeated tick
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The patent for the metronome was entered in 1816: "John Malzl [sic], of Poland-street, Middlesex, Machinist; for an instrument . . . which he denominates a Metronome, or musical time-keeper." The courts, however, later proved that the aforementioned Johann Maelzel copied a pendulum design of Dietrich Winkel, making Winkel the actual inventor. Nonetheless, Maelzel was the more successful marketer of the metronome and even has a notation named after him. The "M.M." in notations like "M.M. = 60" stands for "Maelzel's metronome" and indicates a tempo of 60 beats per minute or a beat per tick of the metronome as it ticks 60 times, in the case of our example. The name of the invention itself is based on the Greek words metron, meaning "measure," and nomos, meaning "law."
Examples of metronome in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
If ever there was a metronome of equanimity in shot-making and mental approach, the baton has passed from the Serb to the Italian.
—
Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
There are wooden beds with large crystals pointed at the head; copper tubs with crystals pointed where a faucet might be; deck chairs facing metronomes; doorways with crystals mounted on every surface.
—Marisa Meltzer, ARTnews.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Under Painter, Purdue has become a metronome of a program, clicking off six Sweet 16 appearances in the past eight years.
—Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
On a team known for no-look passes and flashy finishes, Citron is a metronome.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for metronome
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Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
There are wooden beds with large crystals pointed at the head; copper tubs with crystals pointed where a faucet might be; deck chairs facing metronomes; doorways with crystals mounted on every surface.
—Marisa Meltzer, ARTnews.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Under Painter, Purdue has become a metronome of a program, clicking off six Sweet 16 appearances in the past eight years.
—Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
On a team known for no-look passes and flashy finishes, Citron is a metronome.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for metronome
Cite this Entry
“Metronome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metronome. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
metronome
noun
met·ro·nome
ˈme-trə-ˌnōm
: an instrument that ticks regularly to help a music student play in exact time
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