The original word is mètre and métrique is simply the adjectival form.
So, simply stated, the name of the system is derived from the first unit to
be defined.
The definition of métrique (Larousse, 1983) is "relatif au mètre."
Of course, we have Méchain and Delambre to thank for "mètre."
Bill Potts, CMS
San Jose, CA
http://metric1.org [SI Navigator]
> -----Original Message-----
> From: James R.Frysinger [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: December 20, 2000 06:43
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: [mdq-fr] origin of "metric"
>
>
> A young (eighth grade) correspondent in Egypt has asked a question I
> cannot answer. Who was it that coined the term "metric" (or perhaps
> "metrique"?) in regards to the metric system. My dictionary shows its
> date of origin as 1797. Can we identify the person who suggested the
> term?
>
> Jim Frysinger
>
> --
> James R. Frysinger University/College of Charleston
> 10 Captiva Row Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
> Charleston, SC 29407 66 George Street
> 843.225.0805 Charleston, SC 29424
> http://www.cofc.edu/~frysingj [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Cert. Adv. Metrication Specialist 843.953.7644
>
