metro

See also: Appendix:Variations of "metro"

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈmɛtɹəʊ/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈmɛtɹoʊ/

  • Audio (US):

    (file)

• (Indic) IPA^(key): /mɛʈ.ro/
• Rhymes: -ɛtɹəʊ

Etymology 1

From French métro, clipping of métropolitain (from Ancient Greek μήτηρ (mḗtēr, “mother”) + πόλις (pólis, “city”)), as in the Chemin de fer métropolitain, an early name for the Paris Métro. This name was a direct translation of "Metropolitan Railway", which was the original name of the earliest part of the London Underground, constructed in 1863.

Alternative forms

• métro

Noun

metro (plural metros)

1. (general) A rapid transit rail transport system, or a train in such systems, generally underground and serving a metropolitan area.

   Synonyms: (US, Canada, Scotland, South Africa) subway, (London) underground, underground railway, (London slang) Tube, tube

   He is going to the stadium by metro.

   • 2000, Frederick Parkins, The NATO Opposition, →ISBN, page 27:

     Recalling that Davide Lungo returned the van at the airport, Pizo descended the nearby stairs to the underground metro, and boarded the next metro stopping there.

   • 2014, Lily Sergueiew, I Worked Alone: Diary of a Double Agent in World War II Europe, →ISBN:

     I hurry to the underground. ... I am waiting for the next metro; I'll take it.

   • 2017, Pam Taylor, 399 Days: Our European Escapade, →ISBN:

     What we entered into here was well lit and had clean silver curvy walls that ended in nice automatic elevators that took you underground. The walls are not infested with graffiti and advertisements; they were clean and shiny. We waited on nice benches until the metro arrived.

2. (less common) An urban rapid transit rail transport system, normally with lighter track and light trains (i.e. an S-Bahn or similar), or a train in such systems.
   • 2006, C. A. Brebbia, V. Dolezel, Urban Transport XII: Urban Transport and the Environment in the 21st Century, page 227:

     Informs how long the passenger has to wait for the next metro

   • 2008, Brandon Wilson, Along the Templar Trail: Seven Million Steps for Peace, →ISBN, page 75:

     With the weather clear and warm for a change, I decided to catch the next metro to the outskirts of town by myself.

   • 2015, Pratyush Sinha, Love in Metro: Story of Love and Ego, →ISBN:

     I boarded the Yellow Line Metro, beaming with confidence. I got down at Rajiv Chowk to continue my journey towards Noida City Centre (NCC). The next metro arrived.

Derived terms

• metro aide
• MetroCard
• metroisation
• metro station
• Metro Toronto
• nonmetro
• premetro
• semi-metro

Translations

underground railway — see subway

train of underground railway — see subway

Etymology 2

Clipping of metropolitan.

Noun

metro (plural metros)

1. A metropolitan area.
   • 2019 August 12, Derek Thompson, “America's Hot New Job Is Being a Rich Person's Servant”, in The Atlantic‎^[1], archived from the original on 26 August 2019:

     In an age of persistently high inequality, work in high-cost metros catering to the whims of the wealthy—grooming them, stretching them, feeding them, driving them—has become one of the fastest-growing industries. […] Relationships between the classes, once mediated through the household, are now managed through an app that serves a large metro area.

Adjective

metro (comparative more metro, superlative most metro)

1. metropolitan

Derived terms

• Metro Vancouver

Related terms

• metrosexual

Anagrams

• Moret, rot me, Termo, Tormé, Tomer

Aragonese

Noun

metro m

1. metre

Catalan

Etymology

Clipping of metropolità.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [ˈmɛ.tɾu]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [ˈmɛ.tɾo]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [ˈme.tɾo]

• Audio (Barcelona):

  (file)

Noun

metro m (plural metros)

1. metro (train)

Further reading

• “metro”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007

Crimean Tatar

Noun

metro

1. metro, underground railway

Declension

Declension of metro

nominative	metro
genitive	metronıñ
dative	metroğa
accusative	metronı
locative	metroda
ablative	metrodan

References

• Mirjejev, V. A.; Usejinov, S. M. (2002), Ukrajinsʹko-krymsʹkotatarsʹkyj slovnyk [Ukrainian – Crimean Tatar Dictionary]‎^[2], Simferopol: Dolya, →ISBN

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈmɛtro]

Noun

metro n

1. metro, subway (underground railway)

   Kolik stojí lístek na metro?

   How much does a metro-ticket cost?

Declension

Declension of metro (hard neuter reducible)

	singular	plural
nominative	metro	metra
genitive	metra	meter
dative	metru	metrům
accusative	metro	metra
vocative	metro	metra
locative	metru	metrech
instrumental	metrem	metry

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from French métro, from métropolitain in chemin de fer métropolitain.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmeː.troː/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: me‧tro

Noun

metro m (plural metro's, diminutive metrootje n)

1. an underground railway or underground-railway system, a subway, a metro
2. an underground-railway train

Derived terms

• metrobaan
• metrohalte
• metrokaart
• metrolijn
• metrospoor
• metrostation
• metrotunnel
• metrowagon

Esperanto

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmetro/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -etro
• Hyphenation: me‧tro

Noun

metro (accusative singular metron, plural metroj, accusative plural metrojn)

1. metre (unit of measurement)
2. (poetry) metrum

Derived terms

• centimetro
• decimetro
• dekametro
• heksametro
• hektometro
• kilometro
• miriametro

Finnish

Helsinki Metro

Etymology

From French métro.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmetro/, [ˈme̞t̪ro̞]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -etro
• Syllabification^(key): met‧ro
• Hyphenation^(key): met‧ro

Noun

metro

1. a metro, an underground, a subway, a Tube

   Synonym: maanalainen

Declension

Inflection of metro (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
nominative		metro	metrot
genitive		metron	metrojen
partitive		metroa	metroja
illative		metroon	metroihin
		singular	plural
nominative		metro	metrot
accusative	nom.	metro	metrot
	gen.	metron
genitive		metron	metrojen
partitive		metroa	metroja
inessive		metrossa	metroissa
elative		metrosta	metroista
illative		metroon	metroihin
adessive		metrolla	metroilla
ablative		metrolta	metroilta
allative		metrolle	metroille
essive		metrona	metroina
translative		metroksi	metroiksi
abessive		metrotta	metroitta
instructive		—	metroin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of metro (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative metroni metroni accusative nom. metroni metroni gen. metroni genitive metroni metrojeni partitive metroani metrojani inessive metrossani metroissani elative metrostani metroistani illative metrooni metroihini adessive metrollani metroillani ablative metroltani metroiltani allative metrolleni metroilleni essive metronani metroinani translative metrokseni metroikseni abessive metrottani metroittani instructive — — comitative — metroineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative metrosi metrosi accusative nom. metrosi metrosi gen. metrosi genitive metrosi metrojesi partitive metroasi metrojasi inessive metrossasi metroissasi elative metrostasi metroistasi illative metroosi metroihisi adessive metrollasi metroillasi ablative metroltasi metroiltasi allative metrollesi metroillesi essive metronasi metroinasi translative metroksesi metroiksesi abessive metrottasi metroittasi instructive — — comitative — metroinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative metromme metromme accusative nom. metromme metromme gen. metromme genitive metromme metrojemme partitive metroamme metrojamme inessive metrossamme metroissamme elative metrostamme metroistamme illative metroomme metroihimme adessive metrollamme metroillamme ablative metroltamme metroiltamme allative metrollemme metroillemme essive metronamme metroinamme translative metroksemme metroiksemme abessive metrottamme metroittamme instructive — — comitative — metroinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative metronne metronne accusative nom. metronne metronne gen. metronne genitive metronne metrojenne partitive metroanne metrojanne inessive metrossanne metroissanne elative metrostanne metroistanne illative metroonne metroihinne adessive metrollanne metroillanne ablative metroltanne metroiltanne allative metrollenne metroillenne essive metronanne metroinanne translative metroksenne metroiksenne abessive metrottanne metroittanne instructive — — comitative — metroinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative metronsa metronsa accusative nom. metronsa metronsa gen. metronsa genitive metronsa metrojensa partitive metroaan metroansa metrojaan metrojansa inessive metrossaan metrossansa metroissaan metroissansa elative metrostaan metrostansa metroistaan metroistansa illative metroonsa metroihinsa adessive metrollaan metrollansa metroillaan metroillansa ablative metroltaan metroltansa metroiltaan metroiltansa allative metrolleen metrollensa metroilleen metroillensa essive metronaan metronansa metroinaan metroinansa translative metrokseen metroksensa metroikseen metroiksensa abessive metrottaan metrottansa metroittaan metroittansa instructive — — comitative — metroineen metroinensa

Derived terms

compounds

• kaupunkimetro
• metroasema
• metrojuna
• metrokuski
• metroliikenne
• metrolinja
• metrorata
• metrotunneli
• metrovaunu
• pintametro

Further reading

• “metro”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[3] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 3 July 2023

Anagrams

• termo-

Galician

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɛtɾo/ [ˈmɛ.t̪ɾʊ]
• Rhymes: -ɛtɾo

Etymology 1

Borrowed from French mètre, from Ancient Greek μέτρον (métron, “measure”).

Noun

metro m (plural metros)

1. (measure) meter
2. (measuring instruments) tape measure, measuring tape
3. (poetry, music) metre (the rhythm or measure in verse and musical composition)

Derived terms

• metro cadrado

Related terms

• decámetro
• dímetro
• heptámetro
• hexámetro
• métrico
• -metro
• monómetro
• pentámetro
• tetrámetro
• trímetro

Etymology 2

Borrowed from French métro, clipping of métropolitain.

Noun

metro m (plural metros)

1. (transport) metro

   Synonym: metropolitano

Further reading

• “metro”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2025

Ido

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmetro/

Noun

metro (plural metri)

1. metre (unit of measurement)
2. metrum of poetry

Italian

Alternative forms

• mietro, miero

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɛ.tro/
• Rhymes: -ɛtro
• Hyphenation: mè‧tro

Etymology 1

From Latin metrum (“a measure”), from Ancient Greek μέτρον (métron).

Noun

metro m (plural metri)

1. (unit of measure) metre, meter
2. ruler, measure
3. yardstick, criterion

Derived terms

• centimetro
• chilometro
• decimetro
• metratura
• metro cubo
• metro quadro
• metrologia
• millimetro

Related terms

• metraggio
• metrico

Etymology 2

Clipping of metropolitana.

Noun

metro f (invariable)

1. subway (US), underground (UK), Tube (the London underground)

   Synonym: metrò

Anagrams

• merto, morte, termo-, torme, tremo, tremò

Latin

Noun

metrō

1. dative/ablative singular of metrum

Lithuanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French métro.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [mʲɛˈtrɔ]
• Hyphenation: me‧tro

Noun

metrò m (indeclinable)

1. subway, underground, metro (underground railway)

   Synonym: metropolitènas

Further reading

• “metro”, in Lietuvių kalbos žodynas [Dictionary of the Lithuanian language], lkz.lt, 1941–2025
• “metro”, in Bendrinės lietuvių kalbos žodynas [Dictionary of common Lithuanian], ekalba.lt, n.d.
• “metro”, in Dabartinės lietuvių kalbos žodynas [Dictionary of contemporary Lithuanian], ekalba.lt, 1954–2025
• “metro” in Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija [Universal Lithuanian Encyclopedia]

Polish

Etymology

Borrowed from French métro, clipping of métropolitain, from Ancient Greek μήτηρ (mḗtēr, “mother”) + πόλις (pólis, “city”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɛ.trɔ/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛtrɔ
• Syllabification: me‧tro

Noun

metro n

1. underground, subway, metro (underground railway)

Declension

Declension of metro

	singular
nominative	metro
genitive	metra
dative	metru
accusative	metro
instrumental	metrem
locative	metrze
vocative	metro

Further reading

• metro in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• metro in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Portuguese

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɛ.tɾu/

• Audio (Portugal):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛtɾu
• Hyphenation: me‧tro

Etymology 1

From French mètre, from Latin metrum, from Ancient Greek μέτρον (métron, “measure”).

Noun

metro m (plural metros)

1. (measure) metre
   • 2007, J. K. Rowling, translated by Lia Wyler, Harry Potter e as Relíquias da Morte [Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows] (Harry Potter; 7), Rio de Janeiro: Rocco, →ISBN, page 9:

     [...] a poucos metros de distância [...]

     [...] a few metres away [...]

2. metre stick

Coordinate terms

• vara (historical Portuguese equivalent), jarda (American equivalent)

Derived terms

• metragem

Descendants

• → Kadiwéu: meetilo

Etymology 2

From French métro, clipping of métropolitain.

Alternative forms

• metrô (Brazil)

Noun

metro m (plural metros)

1. (Portugal) underground, subway

   Synonym: metropolitano

Romanian

Noun

metro n (plural metrouri)

1. alternative form of metrou

Declension

	singular			plural
	indefinite	definite		indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	metro	metroul		metrouri	metrourile
genitive-dative	metro	metroului		metrouri	metrourilor
vocative	metroule			metrourilor

Serbo-Croatian

Noun

mètrō m inan (Cyrillic spelling мѐтро̄)

1. metro

Declension

Declension of metro

	singular	plural
nominative	mètrō	metroi
genitive	metròa	metroa
dative	metrou	metroima
accusative	metro	metroe
vocative	metro	metroi
locative	metrou	metroima
instrumental	metroom	metroima

Slovak

Etymology

Borrowed from French métro.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈmetrɔ]

Noun

metro n

1. metro

Declension

Declension of metro
(pattern mesto)

	singular	plural
nominative	metro	metrá
genitive	metra	metier
dative	metru	metrám
accusative	metro	metrá
locative	metre	metrách
instrumental	metrom	metrami

Further reading

• “metro”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2025

Spanish

Self-retracting metal tape measure (US customary)

A sliced tape measure

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmetɾo/ [ˈme.t̪ɾo]

• Audio (Colombia):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -etɾo
• Syllabification: me‧tro

Etymology 1

Borrowed from French mètre, from Ancient Greek μέτρον (métron, “measure”).

Noun

metro m (plural metros)

1. (measure) meter
   • 2025 January 22, Reuters, “Nepal aumenta a US$ 15.000 la tarifa para escalar el monte Everest”, in CNN en Español‎^[4]:

     Un permiso para escalar el monte Everest de 8.849 metros (29.032 pies) costará US$ 15.000, dijo Narayan Prasad Regmi, director general del Departamento de Turismo, anunciando un aumento del 36% en la tarifa de US$ 11.000 que ha estado vigente durante casi una década.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. (measuring instruments) tape measure, measuring tape

   Synonym: cinta métrica

3. (measuring instruments) folding rule

   Synonym: metro plegable

4. (poetry, music) metre (the rhythm or measure in verse and musical composition)

Coordinate terms

• (unit of length): vara (historical Spanish equivalent)

Derived terms

• metro cuadrado
• metro cúbico
• once metros
• siete metros

Related terms

• decámetro
• dímetro
• heptámetro
• hexámetro
• lanzamiento de 7 metros
• métrico
• -metro
• monómetro
• pentámetro
• tetrámetro
• trímetro

Descendants

• → Tagalog: metro

Etymology 2

Borrowed from French métro, clipping of métropolitain.

Noun

metro m (plural metros)

1. (transport) metro

   Synonym: (Argentina) subte

Derived terms

• estación de metro

Further reading

• “metro”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 10 December 2024

Anagrams

• Moret, temor, termo, Torme, tremo

Tagalog

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish metro.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈmetɾo/ [ˈmɛː.t̪ɾo]
• Rhymes: -etɾo
• Syllabification: me‧tro

Noun

metro (Baybayin spelling ᜋᜒᜆ᜔ᜇᜓ)

1. meter (unit of length)
2. meter (measuring instrument)

   Synonym: kontador

3. (by extension) taximeter
4. (by extension) tape measure, measuring tape

Related terms

• alkalimetro
• alkoholimetro
• alkohometro
• altimetriya
• altimetro
• amperimetro
• anemometro
• dekametro
• desimetro
• hektametro
• kilometro
• metro kubiko
• milimetro
• miryametro
• nanometro
• sentimetro

See also

• Metro

Turkish

Etymology 1

From French métro.

Noun

metro (definite accusative metroyu, plural metrolar)

1. subway

Etymology 2

From Italian metro.

Noun

metro (definite accusative metroyu, plural metrolar)

1. meter, metre

References

• Nişanyan, Sevan (2002–), “metro”, in Nişanyan Sözlük
• Avery, Robert et al., editors (2013), The Redhouse Dictionary Turkish/Ottoman English, 21st edition, Istanbul: Sev Yayıncılık, →ISBN

Veps

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

metro

1. metro (underground railway)

Inflection

Inflection of metro (inflection type 1/ilo)
nominative sing.	metro
genitive sing.	metron
partitive sing.	metrod
partitive plur.	metroid
	singular	plural
nominative	metro	metrod
accusative	metron	metrod
genitive	metron	metroiden
partitive	metrod	metroid
essive-instructive	metron	metroin
translative	metroks	metroikš
inessive	metros	metroiš
elative	metrospäi	metroišpäi
illative	metroho	metroihe
adessive	metrol	metroil
ablative	metrolpäi	metroilpäi
allative	metrole	metroile
abessive	metrota	metroita
comitative	metronke	metroidenke
prolative	metrodme	metroidme
approximative I	metronno	metroidenno
approximative II	metronnoks	metroidennoks
egressive	metronnopäi	metroidennopäi
terminative I	metrohosai	metroihesai
terminative II	metrolesai	metroilesai
terminative III	metrossai	—
additive I	metrohopäi	metroihepäi
additive II	metrolepäi	metroilepäi

References

• Zajceva, N. G.; Mullonen, M. I. (2007), “метро”, in Uz’ venä-vepsläine vajehnik / Novyj russko-vepsskij slovarʹ [New Russian–Veps Dictionary]‎^[5], Petrozavodsk: Periodika

Vietnamese

Etymology

From English metro.

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [me˧˧ t͡ɕo˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [mej˧˧ ʈow˧˧]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [mej˧˧ ʈow˧˧]
• Phonetic spelling: mê trô

Noun

metro

1. metro (system or train)

   Đi thử metro Bến Thành.

   To try travelling on Ben Thanh metro.