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liter

[lee-ter]
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noun
  1. a unit of capacity redefined in 1964 by a reduction of 28 parts in a million to be exactly equal to one cubic decimeter. It is equivalent to 1.0567 U.S. liquid quarts and is equal to the volume of one kilogram of distilled water at 4°C. Abbreviation: l
Also especially British, li·tre.

Origin of liter

1800–10; < French litre, back formation from litron an old measure of capacity, derivative (with -on noun suffix) of Medieval Latin litra < Greek lítra pound
Can be confusedletter lighter liter litter

lite

[lahyt]Informal.
adjective
  1. noting a commercial product that is low in calories or low in any substance considered undesirable, as compared with a product of the same type: used especially in labeling or advertising commercial products: lite beer.
  2. noting a version that is comparatively less extreme, profound, advanced, etc., than the typical version (often used postpositively): The film glossed over the dangers of the experiment with a science-lite explanation. The lite version of the app is available for mobile download.
noun
  1. light2(def 36).

Origin of lite

First recorded in 1965–70; an informal, simplified spelling of light2
Related formslite·ness, noun
Can be confusedlite light
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for liter

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British Dictionary definitions for liter

liter

noun
  1. the US spelling of litre

lite

adjective
  1. (of food and drink) containing few calories or little alcohol or fat
  2. denoting a more restrained or less extreme version of a person or thingreggae lite

Word Origin

C20: variant spelling of light ²
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for liter

n.

1797, from French litre (1793), from litron, obsolete French measure of capacity for grain, from Medieval Latin litra, from Greek litra "pound," apparently from the same Sicilian Italic source as Latin libra.

lite

adj.

alternative spelling of light (adj.1), by 1962. Used from at least 1917 in product names, often as a variation of light (n.).

The word Adjusto-Lite for portable electric lamps was opposed by the user of a trade mark Auto-lite registered before the date of use claimed by the applicant. ["The Trade-Mark Reporter," 1922]
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
liter in Medicine

liter

(lē′tər)
n.
  1. A unit of volume equal to 1000 cubic centimeters or or 1 cubic decimeter (1.0567 quarts).
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
liter in Science

liter

[lē′tər]
  1. The basic unit of liquid volume or capacity in the metric system, equal to 1.06 quart or 2.12 pints. See Table at measurement.
  2. The basic unit of dry volume or capacity in the metric system, equal to 0.90 quart or 1.82 pint. See Table at measurement.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.