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centimeter

[sen-tuh-mee-ter]
noun
  1. one 100th of a meter, equivalent to 0.3937 inch. Abbreviation: cm, cm.
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. 2018

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Word Origin and History for centimeter
n.

also centimetre, 1801, from French centimètre (18c.), coined from Latin centum "hundred" (see hundred) + French mètre (see meter (n.2)).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
centimeter in Medicine

centimeter

[sĕn′tə-mē′tər]
n.
  1. A unit of length equal to one hundredth (10-2) of a meter.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
centimeter in Science

centimeter

[sĕn′tə-mē′tər]
  1. 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.
centimeter in Culture

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.