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).

---

half-inch British  

noun

1. a measure of length approximately equivalent to 13 millimetres

---

verb

1. slang to steal

Etymology

Origin of half-inch

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

half-inch

If there’s a half-inch of sun-dried tomato oil left in a jar, there’s a very good chance I’m frying eggs in it the next morning.

From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026

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

From Slate ● Sep. 9, 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

I pulled my right ax from the ice, reached up, and twisted the pick into a crooked half-inch fissure until it jammed.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer