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 houses typically had only one entrance and no windows, and openings of homes and town gates were very low so that several people could not enter at the same time; the entrances to the dwellings of the Gurunsi were only 70 centimeters high. —Literary Hub, 5 Dec. 2025

The swimming version propelled itself through water at speeds of up to 11 centimeters per second. —Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Dec. 2025

The gag grouper replaces the previous length record of 89 centimeters (around 35 inches) that was set in 2014. —Kris Millgate, Outdoor Life, 3 Dec. 2025

O’Brien had to go for an X-ray and a CT scan, which revealed a two-centimeter shard of glass in her stomach. —Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1794, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing centimeter

• centimeter-gram-second

Rhymes for centimeter

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

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