liter

noun

li·​ter ˈlē-tər 

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

The plant plans to supply 50 million liters of petrol daily to Nigerian consumers between now and February, from a previous daily rate of 45 million liters. —Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 15 Dec. 2025

Now, the new vitrification facility, a US$10-billion engineering project built to immobilize that high-level waste in glass, has turned its first 5,500 liters into inert, permanent canisters. —New Atlas, 14 Dec. 2025

Keep a 1-liter Ziploc bag tucked in your toiletry kit for those airports (looking at you, CDG) that insist all liquids be packed in one. —Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 12 Dec. 2025

The bag itself is pretty compact but fits a ton — 25 liters of stuff to be exact. —Mike Winters, CNBC, 7 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1797, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for liter

• beater
• cheater
• dieter
• eater
• heater
• litre
• meter
• metre
• neater
• praetor
• seater
• skeeter

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

ˈlēt-ər 

: 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