metric

1. (mathematical analysis) A function which satisfies a particular set of formal conditions, created to generalize the notion of the distance between two points. Formally, a real-valued function d on M×M, where M is a set, is called a metric if (1) d(x,y)=0 if and only if x=y, (2) d(x,y)=d(y,x) for all pairs (x,y), and (3) d obeys the triangle inequality.Examples: "As we shall see, these metrics are constructed from a Green function."

2. (mathematics) A metric tensor.

1. (transitive, aerospace, systems engineering) To measure or analyse statistical data concerning the quality or effectiveness of a process.Examples: "We need to metric the status of software documentation."; "We need to metric the verification of requirements."; "We need to metric the system failures."transitive