Meanings
nounaltimeter (plural altimeters)
plural altimeters · alternative nonstandard altimetre
- An apparatus for measuring altitude.
For that reason, if you do any mountain climbing, allow a generous margin of error of extra altitude—not only for possible altimeter error, but also for downdrafts that are particularly prevalent if high winds are encountered.
2000, Paul E. Illman, The Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, McGraw Hill Professional, →ISBN, page 128
Origin
- Latinaltus“high”
- Englishaltimeter
Coined based on Latin altus (“high”) + -meter.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan altímetre
- altímetrean apparatus for measuring altitude
Chinese Mandarin 测高仪
- 测高仪an apparatus for measuring altitude
Czech výškoměr
- výškoměran apparatus for measuring altitude
Danish højdemåler, altimeter
- højdemåleran apparatus for measuring altitude
- altimeteran apparatus for measuring altitude
Dutch hoogtemeter
- hoogtemeteran apparatus for measuring altitude
Esperanto altmezurilo, altometro
- altmezuriloan apparatus for measuring altitude
- altometroan apparatus for measuring altitude
Finnish korkeusmittari
- korkeusmittarian apparatus for measuring altitude
French altimètre
- altimètrean apparatus for measuring altitude
German Höhenmesser, Altimeter
- Höhenmesseran apparatus for measuring altitude
- Altimeteran apparatus for measuring altitude
Greek υψόμετρο
- υψόμετρο (ypsómetro)an apparatus for measuring altitude
Hindi ऊँचाईमापक
- ऊँचाईमापक (ū̃cāīmāpak)an apparatus for measuring altitude
Hungarian altiméter
- altiméteran apparatus for measuring altitude
Icelandic hæðarmælir
- hæðarmæliran apparatus for measuring altitude
Irish airdemhéadar
- airdemhéadaran apparatus for measuring altitude
Italian altimetro
- altimetroan apparatus for measuring altitude
Japanese 高度計
- 高度計 (kōdokei)an apparatus for measuring altitude
Korean 고도계
- 고도계 (godogye)an apparatus for measuring altitude
Malay jangka tinggi, altimeter
- jangka tinggian apparatus for measuring altitude
- altimeteran apparatus for measuring altitude
Norwegian Bokmål høydemåler, altimeter
- høydemåleran apparatus for measuring altitude
- altimeteran apparatus for measuring altitude
Persian ارتفاعسنج, بلنداسنج
- ارتفاعسنج (ertefâ'-sanj)an apparatus for measuring altitude
- بلنداسنج (bolandâsanj)an apparatus for measuring altitude
- فرازیاب (farâzyâb)an apparatus for measuring altitude
Polish wysokościomierz
- wysokościomierzan apparatus for measuring altitude
Portuguese altímetro
- altímetroan apparatus for measuring altitude
Russian альтиме́тр, высотоме́р
- альтиме́тр (alʹtimétr)an apparatus for measuring altitude
- высотоме́р (vysotomér)an apparatus for measuring altitude
Spanish altímetro
- altímetroan apparatus for measuring altitude
Swedish höjdmätare, altimeter
- höjdmätarean apparatus for measuring altitude
- altimeteran apparatus for measuring altitude
Turkish yükseklikölçer, altimetre
- yükseklikölçeran apparatus for measuring altitude
- altimetrean apparatus for measuring altitude
Cite this entry
APA
altimeter. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/altimeter
MLA
“altimeter.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/altimeter. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “altimeter,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/altimeter.
Source: altimeter on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.