On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. It has been suggested that Baculometry be merged measuring cup this article. This article is about measures in metrology. For other uses of measure, see Measure.

Measurement is the quantification of attributes of an object or event, which can be used to compare with other objects or events. Measurement is a cornerstone of trade, science, technology and quantitative research in many disciplines. Measurement is defined as the process of comparison of an unknown quantity with a known or standard quantity. The measurement of a property may be categorized by the following criteria: type, magnitude, unit, and uncertainty. The level of measurement is a taxonomy for the methodological character of a comparison.

For example, two states of a property may be compared by ratio, difference, or ordinal preference. The type is commonly not explicitly expressed, but implicit in the definition of a measurement procedure. The magnitude is the numerical value of the characterization, usually obtained with a suitably chosen measuring instrument. A unit assigns a mathematical weighting factor to the magnitude that is derived as a ratio to the property of an artifact used as standard or a natural physical quantity. The seven base units in the SI system. Arrows point from units to those that depend on them.