liter

noun

li·​ter ˈlē-tər How to pronounce liter (audio)
variants or litre
: a metric unit of capacity equal to one cubic decimeter see Metric System Table

Examples of liter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The tank housed a crew of four and was powered by two 6-cylinder, 7-liter diesel engines with coil-spring suspension. Matthew S Williams, Interesting Engineering, 7 May 2026 The average water consumption per garment is 30 liters, average chemical impact is 53 and average worker impact is 16—all which EIM designates as medium impact. Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 6 May 2026 May tells her patients to drink an additional liter of water every day starting three days before their procedure. Holly Burns, Time, 6 May 2026 According to the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab report, the indirect water footprint of the country’s data centers is nearly 800 billion liters per year. Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for liter

Word History

Etymology

French litre, from Medieval Latin litra, a measure, from Greek, a weight

First Known Use

1797, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of liter was in 1797

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Liter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liter. Accessed 8 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

liter

noun
li·​ter
variants or litre
ˈlēt-ər
: a metric unit of capacity equal to one cubic decimeter see metric system

Medical Definition

liter

noun
li·​ter
variants or chiefly British litre
: a metric unit of capacity equal to the volume of one kilogram of water at 4°C (39°F) and at standard atmospheric pressure of 760 millimeters of mercury

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