An altimeter is an instrument in an aircraft that shows the height of the aircraft above the ground.
altimeter in British English
(ælˈtɪmɪtə, ˈæltɪˌmiːtə)
noun
an instrument that indicates height above sea level, esp one based on an aneroid barometer and fitted to an aircraft
altimeter in American English
(ælˈtɪmətər; also ˈæltəˌmitər)
noun
an instrument for measuring height above a given reference level, as the sea or ground: in aircraft it is either an aneroid barometer with adial marked in feet or meters or an instrument using radar
Word origin
alti- + -meter
Examples of 'altimeter' in a sentence
altimeter
Mahoney watched the altimeter as the ship rose, the dark countryside dropping below.
Davis, John Gordon SEIZE THE RECKLESS WIND (1993)
`The altimeter can be set to height above seal level or height above destination.
Brierley, David SKORPION'S DEATH (1993)
+ `The altimeter can be set to height above sea level or + `We're going to run dry.
Brierley, David SKORPION'S DEATH (1993)
Field elevation set in the altimeter bug, and I've got radar altitude plus field elevation set for the altimeter setting.