Definition

A device used to detect and measure slight changes in the angle of a surface from a horizontal position.

Example

The engineer used a tiltmeter to monitor the stability of the building's foundation.

Conversation

Have you ever used a tiltmeter in your geology class?

No, I haven't, but I've heard they're really useful for measuring ground shifts.

Yeah, they can detect very small changes in the earth's surface.

That sounds interesting! I should ask my teacher about using one.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

**Tiltmeter** → It is formed from "tilt" (from Middle English *tilten*, meaning to incline or slope) and "-meter" (from Greek *metron*, meaning measure). A tiltmeter is a device that measures the inclination or slope of a surface.

Memory Tip

Think of a device that 'measures' ('-meter') how much something is 'inclined' or 'sloped' ('tilt'). This helps you remember that a tiltmeter is used to measure tilt.

Visually Confused Words