half-inch

American  

[haf-inch, hahf-] / ˈhæfˈɪntʃ, ˈhɑf- /

noun

1. a half of an inch, equal to 1/24 of a foot (1.27 centimeters).

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half-inch British  

noun

1. a measure of length approximately equivalent to 13 millimetres

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verb

1. slang to steal

Etymology

Origin of half-inch

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

And they will finish the flooring, which must be seamless between modules beyond the project’s half-inch tolerance.

From Slate • Sep. 9, 2025

When exposed to fire, the mass timber charcoals and burns a half-inch every hour — so a 4.5-inch panel would last six or seven hours before fully burning, he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 10, 2025

We were working with open reel, half-inch black and white video tape and in the first year no editing facility at all.

From BBC • Feb. 26, 2025

Mudslides and debris flows were a concern during the region’s first major winter storm last weekend, which dropped a half-inch to 1½ inches of rain across L.A.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 1, 2025

The 34th segment is a wee bit too short; the half-inch ruler juts out a little beyond the corner of the square.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife