liter

American  

[lee-ter] / ˈli tər /

especially British, litre

noun

1. a unit of capacity redefined in 1964 by a reduction of 28 parts in a million to be exactly equal to one cubic decimeter. It is equivalent to 1.0567 U.S. liquid quarts and is equal to the volume of one kilogram of distilled water at 4°C. l

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liter British  

/ ˈliːtə /

noun

1. the US spelling of litre

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liter Scientific  

/ lē′tər /

1. The basic unit of liquid volume or capacity in the metric system, equal to 1.06 quart or 2.12 pints.

2. See Table at measurement

3. The basic unit of dry volume or capacity in the metric system, equal to 0.90 quart or 1.82 pint.

4. See Table at measurement

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Etymology

Origin of liter

1800–10; < French litre, back formation from litron an old measure of capacity, derivative (with -on noun suffix) of Medieval Latin litra < Greek lítra pound

Compare meaning

How does liter compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• gallon vs. liter
• liter vs. milliliter
• pint vs. liter

Example Sentences

Concentrations in drinking water systems higher than 0.8 milligrams per liter can be harmful, especially to infants, young children and fetuses, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

From Salon

In Bangladesh, an estimated 50 million people have consumed water exceeding the World Health Organization's guideline of 10 micrograms per liter.

From Science Daily

“A 10% mixture in the fuel of the world’s entire maritime segment would require approximately 50 billion liters of ethanol annually,” Soybean and Corn Advisor’s Michael Cordonnier writes.

From The Wall Street Journal

With the majority of Malaysians eligible to enjoy 300 liters subsidized fuel per month, he expects new vehicle sales to be supported in 4Q.

From The Wall Street Journal

How much oil leaks in a fume event can range from small droplets to liters.

From The Wall Street Journal