ml

Everyday

1. Short for millilitre, a small unit for measuring liquid; 1000 ml make 1 litre. tree →
2. (less common) Short for other words, such as "mile" in old texts; at school it almost always means millilitres. tree →

In the lessons

Used in maths, science and the kitchen: medicine, drinks and recipes are measured in ml. A teaspoon holds about 5 ml; a can of drink about 330 ml. Phrases: 500 ml, ml to litres.

Examples

• The bottle holds 500 ml of water. tree →
• Take 5 ml of medicine twice a day. tree →
• Add 200 ml of milk to the flour. tree →
• 1 litre is the same as 1000 ml. tree →
• A can of lemonade holds 330 ml. tree →
• Pour 250 ml into each glass. tree →
• How many 100 ml cups can you fill from 1 litre? tree →

Note

Written with a small m and small l, no full stop, and no s for the plural: 5 ml, not 5 mls. Do not mix up with mm (millimetres, length) or mg (milligrams, mass). For maths: divide ml by 1000 to get litres; multiply litres by 1000 to get ml. Medicine doses must be measured exactly.