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== Etymology == | == Etymology == | ||
The etymological roots of ''metre'' can be traced to the Greek verb {{lang|grc|μετρέω}} ({{transl|grc|metreo}}) (to measure, count or compare) and noun {{lang|grc|μέτρον}} ({{transl|grc|metron}}) (a measure), which were used for physical measurement, for poetic metre and by extension for moderation or avoiding extremism (as in "be measured in your response"). This range of uses is also found in Latin ({{lang|la|metior, mensura}}), French ({{lang|fr|mètre, mesure}}), English and other languages. The Greek word is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root ''[[wikt:*meh₁-|*meh₁-]]'' 'to measure'. The motto {{lang|grc|ΜΕΤΡΩ ΧΡΩ}} ({{transl|grc|metro chro}}) in the seal of the [[International Bureau of Weights and Measures]] (BIPM), which was a saying of the Greek statesman and philosopher [[Pittacus of Mytilene]] and may be translated as "Use measure!", thus calls for both measurement and moderation. The use of the word ''metre'' (for the French unit {{lang|fr|mètre}}) in English began at least as early as 1797.<ref name="Oxford">[[Oxford English Dictionary]], Clarendon Press 2nd ed.1989, vol.IX p.697 col.3.</ref> | The etymological roots of ''metre'' can be traced to the Greek verb {{lang|grc|μετρέω}} ({{transl|grc|metreo}}) (to measure, count or compare) and noun {{lang|grc|μέτρον}} ({{transl|grc|metron}}) (a measure), which were used for physical measurement, for poetic metre and by extension for moderation or avoiding extremism (as in "be measured in your response"). This range of uses is also found in Latin ({{lang|la|metior, mensura}}), French ({{lang|fr|mètre, mesure}}), English and other languages. The Greek word is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root ''[[wikt:*meh₁-|*meh₁-]]'' 'to measure'. The motto {{lang|grc|ΜΕΤΡΩ ΧΡΩ}} ({{transl|grc|metro chro}}) in the seal of the [[International Bureau of Weights and Measures]] (BIPM), which was a saying of the Greek statesman and philosopher [[Pittacus of Mytilene]] and may be translated as "Use measure!", thus calls for both measurement and moderation. The use of the word ''metre'' (for the French unit {{lang|fr|mètre}}) in English began at least as early as 1797.<ref name="Oxford">[[Oxford English Dictionary]], Clarendon Press 2nd ed.1989, vol.IX p.697 col.3.</ref> | ||
== History of definition {{anchor|Definition}} == | == History of definition {{anchor|Definition}} == | ||