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centimeter

[ sen-tuh-mee-ter ]
/ ˈsɛn təˌmi tər /
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noun
one 100th of a meter, equivalent to 0.3937 inch. Abbreviations: cm, cm.
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Also especially British, cen·ti·me·tre .

Origin of centimeter

From the French word centimètre, dating back to 1795–1805. See centi-, meter1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use centimeter in a sentence

Scientific definitions for centimeter

centimeter
[ sĕn′tə-mē′tər ]

A unit of length in the metric system equal to 0.01 meter. See Table at measurement.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for centimeter

centimeter
[ (sen-tuh-mee-tuhr) ]

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

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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