milli-

American  

1. a combining form meaning “thousand” (millipede ): in the metric system, used in the names of units equal to one thousandth of the given base unit (millimeter ).

---

milli- British  

prefix

1.  m.  denoting 10 ^–3

   millimetre

---

milli– Scientific  

1. A prefix that means “one thousandth,” as in millimeter, one thousandth of a meter.

---

Usage

What does milli- mean? Milli- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “thousand.” In names of units of measure, particularly in the metric system, milli- means "one thousandth." It is often used in scientific and technical terms.Milli- comes from the Latin mille, meaning “thousand.” The Greek translation of mille is chī́lioi, “a thousand,” which is the source of English terms such as kilogram and kilometer. To learn more, check out our entries for both words.

Etymology

Origin of milli-

< French < Latin, combining form of mille thousand

Example Sentences

Pop duo Milli Vanilli were stripped of their Grammy Award for best new artist in 1990, when it was discovered that the members, Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus, had been miming to someone else's vocals.

From BBC

Thirty-six years later, Morvan is nominated for best audiobook for his memoir You Know It's True: The Real Story of Milli Vanilli.

From BBC

The duo known as Milli Vanilli had rocketed to fame, going from obscure dancers in Munich to dominate the pop music scene.

From Los Angeles Times

Indeed, for the tens of millions of Milli Vanilli fans who bought their records, the 1990 Grammy ceremony marked an end of innocence of sorts.

From Los Angeles Times

To this day, Milli Vanilli are the only artists in the history of the Grammys to have their award revoked.

From Los Angeles Times