centimeter

especially British, cen·ti·me·tre

[sen-tuh-mee-ter]

noun

1. one 100th of a meter, equivalent to 0.3937 inch. cm, cm.

centimeter

1. A unit of length in the metric system equal to 0.01 meter.

2. See Table at measurement

centimeter

1. A unit of length in the metric system; one-hundredth of a meter, or about two-fifths of an inch.

Word History and Origins

Origin of centimeter¹

From the French word centimètre, dating back to 1795–1805. See centi-, meter ¹

Example Sentences

For every additional centimeter beyond that range, the likelihood of hospitalization and early death increases.

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The new laser can perform such measurements with remarkable accuracy -- within about four centimeters.

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When they tested it in the streets of Trondheim, they achieved an accuracy that was better than ten centimeters 90 percent of the time.

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After she was released, she went to the hospital where doctors told her she had already dilated two centimeters.

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“It wasn’t the hardest project,” Gibson says, “but you do have to measure each tile to the centimeter because the apartment has moved slightly over the years, presumably from earthquakes.”

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