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

Gas will be restricted to 50 liters per day for individuals and 200 liters per day for some commercial and government vehicles, Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob announced on March 22, according to Reuters. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026

But the Gulf also has been the scene of environmental disasters such as BP’s Deepwater Horizon blowout in 2010 that killed 11 workers and spilled 134 million gallons (500 million liters) of oil. —Matthew Brown, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026

In Cuba, the government is rationing the sale of gas, sold only in dollars, to 20 liters — just over five gallons — per customer, and the sales system is so backed up that slots are dated for nine months in advance. —Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026

Fluid turnover rates might approach liters per day, and warming/stirring systems must prevent any thermal gradients. —Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 28 Mar. 2026

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