odom·e·ter \ōˈdäməd.ə(r)\noun Etymology: French odomètre, modification of Greek hodometron, hodometros instrument for measuring distance, from hodos way, road + metron measure — more at cede, meter 1.: an instrument attached to a vehicle to measure the distance traversed < some speedometers are equipped with a trip odometer which registers distance traveled up to 999.9 miles — Ernest Venk & William Landon > 2.: a wheel used by surveyors that registers the miles and rods traversed