Dictionary

chronometer en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /krə(ʊ)ˈnɒmɪtər/ (US)
• (US) audio
• /kɹəˈnɒm.ə.tə(ɹ)/ (UK)
• /kɹəˈnɔm.ə.tə(ɹ)/ (Australia)

Etymology

From chrono- + -meter, possibly after the model of earlier French chronomètre (“metronome”), ultimately from Ancient Greek χρόνος (khrónos, “time”) + μέτρον (métron, “meter, measuring device”).

Meanings

1. A device for measuring time, particularly a precision mechanism for measuring time of day.
   • A wristwatch costs $20; a chronometer costs $20,000.
   • The balances of all moveable time-keepers, the chronometer excepted, are prevented from vibrating beyond the proper arc by what is called bankings. The inferior escapements are very easily banked; a pin fixed in the balance, coming in contact with one or two studs, is sufficient for that purpose. […] 1825, “Transactions of the Society Instituted at London for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce”, in Royal Society of Arts, Great Britain:
   • The sailors sail by chronometers that do not lose two or three seconds in a year, ever since [Isaac] Newton explained to Parliament that the way to improve navigation was to get good watches, and to offer public premiums for a better time-keeper than any then in use. 1878 March 30, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Fortune of the Republic. Lecture Delivered at the Old South Church, March 30, 1878, Boston, Mass.: Houghton, Osgood and Company […], published 1878, →OCLC, page 1:
   • The stock-in-trade of this old gentleman comprised chronometers, barometers, telescopes, compasses, charts, maps, sextants, quadrants, and specimens of every kind of instrument used in the working of a ship's course, or the keeping of a ship's reckoning, or the prosecuting of a ship's discoveries. 1846 October 1 – 1848 April 1, Charles Dickens, “chapter 4”, in Dombey and Son, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1848, →OCLC:

Forms

Coordinates

sundial · hourglass · water clock

Deriveds

pantochronometer · biochronometer · microchronometer · micronometer · marine chronometer · geochronometer · cosmochronometer

Hyponyms

horologium · chronoscope · pocket watch · clepsydra · timepiece · watch · horologe · stopwatch · chronograph · clock

Relateds

chronometry · horologer · horology · horologist

Synonyms

timepiece · time standard

Translations (48)

fa زمانسنج (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · it cronometro (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · nl chronometer (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · pl czasomierz (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · hy ժամանակաչափ (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · grc ὡρολόγιον (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · es cronómetro (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · tl tionsukat (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · pt cronômetro (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · ga cronaiméadar (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · bg хронометър (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · eo kronometro (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · cmn 時計 /时计 (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · fa کرنومتر (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · de Uhr (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · be храно́метр (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · cmn 計時器 /计时器 (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · cs chronometr (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · bg часовник (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · id kronometer (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · be храно́мэтр (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · ja クロノメーター (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · de Chronometer (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · hu időmérő (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · ru хроно́метр (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · hu óra (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · pt cronoscópio (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · grc ὠράριθμον (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · ca cronòmetre (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · fi kello (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · fa گاهسنج (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · la horologium (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · fr chronomètre (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · pl chronometr (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · sl chronometer (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · sh krȍnometar (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · uk хроно́метр (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · mi matawā (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · be храно́мэтар (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · pt cronómetro (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · gl cronómetro (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · ru хроноско́п (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · fr chronoscope (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · sh кро̏нометар (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · th โครโนมิเตอร์ (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · fi kronometri (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · tr saat (device for measuring time, particularly time of day) · ko 크로노미터 (device for measuring time, particularly time of day)