centimeter

noun

cen·​ti·​me·​ter ˈsen-tə-ˌmē-tər  ˈsän- 

: a unit of length equal to ¹/₁₀₀ meter see Metric System Table

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In the metric system, which is used in most countries of the world, each basic unit of measure of length, area, or volume can be divided into centimeters. A meter consists of 100 centimeters, a square meter consists of 10,000 square centimeters, and a cubic meter consists of 1,000,000 cubic centimeters.

Examples of centimeter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The bodies would have been exposed to open air at first, as the ash cloud would have deposited only a few centimeters of ash on the ground. —Ars Technica, 27 Feb. 2025

Non-pregnant women with a waist size greater than 35 inches (88.9 centimeters) and men with a waist greater than 40 inches (101.6 centimeters) are at higher risk from visceral fat, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. —Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 25 Feb. 2025

The length of the anal canal typically ranges from 2.5 to 4 centimeters. —Suchandrima Bhowmik, Health, 20 Feb. 2025

Of the group, 11 male frogs — each measuring under 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) — carried 33 tadpoles that were born at the zoo. —Sylvia Hui, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1794, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing centimeter

• centimeter-gram-second

Rhymes for centimeter

• amphitheater
• centimetre
• decimeter
• ergometer
• expositor
• gasometer
• gravimeter
• hexameter
• manometer
• milliliter
• millimeter
• millimetre

Kids Definition

centimeter

noun

cen·​ti·​me·​ter ˈsent-ə-ˌmēt-ər  ˈsänt- 

: a unit of length equal to ¹⁄₁₀₀ meter see metric system

Medical Definition

centimeter

noun

cen·​ti·​me·​ter

variants or chiefly British centimetre

ˈsent-ə-ˌmēt-ər  ˈsänt- 

: a unit of length equal to ¹/₁₀₀ meter