centimeter

Everyday

A centimeter is a small unit of length in the metric system, about the width of a fingernail. 100 centimeters make 1 meter. A meter is 100 centimeters. A centimeter is 10 millimeters. tree →

In the lessons

a unit of length for lines, sides of shapes and small objects; rulers show centimeters; in science, all measurements are metric; phrases «square centimeter» (cm²), «cubic centimeter» (cm³)

Examples

• The pencil is 15 centimeters long. tree →
• A square has sides of 4 centimeters. tree →
• 2 meters is 200 centimeters. tree →
• Cut 30 centimeters off the ribbon. tree →
• Measure the leaf in centimeters. tree →
• A ruler is often 30 centimeters long. tree →
• The snail moved 5 centimeters in a minute. tree →
• She grew 6 centimeters this year. tree →
• The ant is less than 1 centimeter long. tree →
• The area of the card is 20 square centimeters. tree →

Note

A unit, not a thing counted. Trap: change meters to centimeters (× 100) before adding. The short form is «cm» with no s and no dot. British spelling is «centimetre». 1 inch is about 2.5 centimeters.