centimeter

noun

cen·​ti·​me·​ter ˈsen-tə-ˌmē-tər  ˈsän- 

: a unit of length equal to 1/100 meter see Metric System Table

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In the metric system, which is used in most countries of the world, each basic unit of measure of length, area, or volume can be divided into centimeters. A meter consists of 100 centimeters, a square meter consists of 10,000 square centimeters, and a cubic meter consists of 1,000,000 cubic centimeters.

Examples of centimeter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These animals could reach over three meters in length, but to understand the very beginning of their life cycle, scientists focused on examining some of their centimeter-scale babies. —Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 23 June 2026

The surrounding Pacific Ocean currents limit extreme temperatures but deliver roughly 100 inches (254 centimeters) of rain every year. —ABC News, 22 June 2026

Don't miss the daily Raptor Show, where falcons, hawks, and even the occasional golden eagle will soar mere centimeters from your head. —Sierra Vandervort, Travel + Leisure, 20 June 2026

Both fractures make up the boundary of the Pacific and North American tectonic plates, which have been sliding past each other a few centimeters each year while other zones are locked. —Kasha Patel, CNN Money, 19 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1794, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing centimeter

• centimeter-gram-second

Rhymes for centimeter

• amphitheater
• bolometer
• centimetre
• decimeter
• ergometer
• expositor
• gasometer
• gravimeter
• hexameter
• manometer
• milliliter
• millimeter

Kids Definition

centimeter

noun

cen·​ti·​me·​ter ˈsent-ə-ˌmēt-ər  ˈsänt- 

: a unit of length equal to ¹⁄₁₀₀ meter see metric system

Medical Definition

centimeter

noun

cen·​ti·​me·​ter

variants or chiefly British centimetre

ˈsent-ə-ˌmēt-ər  ˈsänt- 

: a unit of length equal to ¹/₁₀₀ meter