meterlike

Meterlike is an adjective meaning resembling a meter in function or form. It can describe objects that measure quantities, patterns that follow a metrical scheme, or any feature that evokes a meter’s scale, graduations, or rhythm.

In the realm of poetry and prosody, meterlike refers to verse that displays a regular metrical pattern or cadence even if the scansion is not perfectly precise. A poem may be described as having meterlike rhythm when line lengths and stresses suggest a familiar meter without strict adherence, giving a sense of rhythm without formal classification.

In descriptive or technical writing, meterlike may describe scales, gauges, or displays that resemble a meter’s graduated scale or moving indicator. For example, a dashboard gauge with tick marks and a pointer can be described as meterlike in its visual design, even if it does not meet a specific standard meter in the poetic sense.

Etymology and usage notes: meterlike is formed from meter plus the suffix -like. Hyphenation varies by style guides (meter-like or meterlike). The term is relatively uncommon in formal contexts; more precise alternatives include meter-shaped, meter-based, metrical, or simply describing the object as resembling a meter, depending on the context.

See also: meter, metre, metrical, metrology, meter gauge, gauge.