measurement

measurement — noun

1. The action of finding out the size, length, amount, or level of something by usi

1.nounB1
Definition

The action of finding out the size, length, amount, or level of something by using a tool or a fixed system, such as a ruler, a scale, or a thermometer.

Example

Kenji repeated the measurement of the window frame three times before cutting the wood.

the measurement of + [object being measured]

Accurate measurement of the patient's blood pressure is essential before surgery.

adjective + measurement: accurate measurement

Common collocations
  • take a measurement
  • make a measurement
  • accurate measurement
  • precise measurement
  • measurement of
  • measurement data
  • measurement tool
Synonyms
  • gauging

    more technical, often used for pressure or flow

  • assessment

    broader — includes qualitative judgement, not just numbers

  • evaluation

    focuses on analysis after the numbers are gathered

Grammar Patterns

the measurement + of + noun

adjective + measurement

Usage Note

In this sense measurement is typically uncountable and refers to the process or activity. Compare with sense 2, where the word is countable and refers to a specific result.

Common Mistakes

The measurement of the table is 150 centimetres' (when you mean the actual length found).
The measurement process took twenty minutes.
that sentence mixes sense 1 (process) with a value. For process sense, keep the focus on the act, not the numeric result.

2. A number, size, or quantity that you get after measuring something — for example

2.nounB1
Definition

A number, size, or quantity that you get after measuring something — for example, the height of a child, the temperature of a room, or the weight of a bag of rice.

Example

The measurement showed that the desk was too wide for the corner of the office.

measurement + shows + that-clause

Ezra checked the measurement on the thermometer and wrote down forty degrees.

check + the measurement + on + [instrument]

Common collocations
  • get a measurement
  • take a measurement
  • accurate measurement
  • precise measurement
  • final measurement
  • measurement of
  • measurements show
Synonyms
  • reading

    specifically the number shown on a dial, screen, or gauge

  • dimension

    focuses on length, width, and height of an object in space

  • figure

    more general — a figure can come from counting, not only from measuring

Grammar Patterns

measurement + shows/indicates + that-clause

a measurement of + number + unit

the measurement + is + number

Usage Note

This sense is countable. It refers to the numeric result itself — you can collect several measurements, compare two measurements, or record a single measurement.

Common Mistakes

Can you tell me your measurement?' (when asking for body size for clothes).
Can you tell me the measurements of the box?
use sense 3 'measurements' (plural) for body sizes; use sense 2 for general dimensions of objects.

3. The width or length of a person's body at specific spots — such as around the ch

3.nounB1
Definition

The width or length of a person's body at specific spots — such as around the chest, at the waist, and across the hips — used as a guide for buying or tailoring well-fitting clothes.

Example

Élise gave her measurements to the tailor so the dress would fit perfectly.

give + possessive + measurements + to + person

The website asks for your chest and waist measurements before you order a jacket.

ask for + body part + measurements

Common collocations
  • body measurements
  • waist measurement
  • chest measurement
  • hip measurement
  • take measurements
  • give measurements
  • your measurements
  • exact measurements
  • tape measure
Synonyms
  • size

    more general — clothes are sold by size (S/M/L), not by exact body measurements

  • dimensions

    used for objects rather than bodies

Grammar Patterns

possessive + measurements

take + possessive + measurements

give + possessive + measurements

know + possessive + measurements

Usage Note

Almost always appears in the plural form measurements. Each body part has its own measurement (waist measurement, chest measurement, etc.).

Common Mistakes

My measurement is 32 inches.
My waist measurement is 32 inches.
for body sense, specify which body part you mean, or use the plural 'my measurements' for the full set.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

Reading, dimension, figure, and size all refer to numeric information, but they are used in different situations. A reading is the number you see on an instrument at a particular moment — you get a reading from a thermometer, a scale, or a gauge, and it usually changes over time. A dimension is a measurable aspect of physical space: length, width, height, or depth. You talk about the dimensions of a room or a box, not the reading of a room. Figure is much broader — it can come from counting, estimating, or calculating, not only from measuring. For example, 'the sales figures' or 'population figures' are not measurements in a scientific sense. Size overlaps with measurement when describing how big something is, but size is vaguer and often refers to a category (small, medium, large) rather than an exact number. Use measurement when the number was obtained by a deliberate act of measuring with a tool: 'The measurement of the child's height was 110 cm.'

reading ↗dimension ↗figure ↗size ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • take a measurement
  • get a measurement
  • record a measurement
  • check a measurement
  • make a measurement

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Measurement comes from the verb 'measure', which entered English through Old French 'mesure', from Latin 'mensura' meaning 'a measuring, a measure'. The Latin word came from 'mensus', the past participle of 'metiri' (to measure). The suffix '-ment' was added to turn the action of measuring into a noun describing both the process and its result.