taximeter

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A device in a taxi that calculates and shows the fare based on distance or time

noun
/ˈtæksɪˌmiːtər/

Specialized

: taxímetro

To avoid surprise charges, always make sure the taximeter is running during your ride.

Examples

The driver turned on the taximeter as soon as we got into the cab.
After the ride, I checked the taximeter to see how much I owed.
Uber uses GPS technology to calculate fares, and "there are no established measurement standards for its current application and use in determining transportation costs similar to that of approved measurement systems for taximeters and odometers."

Blog text (4)

Surface Forms

taximeter singular

taximeters plural

Morphology

taximeter = tax (semi-transparent) = tax + meter

The word is built transparently from 'tax' and '-meter', but the fare-specific meaning is specialized and not fully predictable from the modern everyday sense of 'tax'.

Etymology

Taximeter comes from two parts: taxi (from a word for 'charge' or 'fee') and meter (meaning 'measure'), like in speedometer. So a taximeter literally 'measures' how much you must pay for a ride, which is why it shows the fare.