millimeter

noun

mil·​li·​me·​ter ˈmi-lə-ˌmē-tər 

variants US millimeter or British millimetre

: a unit of length equal to 1/1000 meter see Metric System Table

Examples of millimeter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Most point-and-shoot film cameras use standard 35-millimeter film. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2026

Lovely said the Nomad 100, which means the ski is 100 millimeters wide underfoot, is Icelantic’s best seller. —Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 9 Jan. 2026

The fiber’s irregular length distribution—with 50 percent at 28 millimeters and 50 percent in the 10 to 20 millimeter range—delivers a textured, semi-dull and opaque aesthetic that achieves a genuine, vintage washdown performance. —Sj Studio, Sourcing Journal, 8 Jan. 2026

However, that mindset wasn't always the case for Shiffrin, who suffered a violent crash during a giant slalom (GS) Women's World Cup race in November 2024 that resulted in a five-centimeter deep puncture wound to her abdomen, just one millimeter shy of her colon. —Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French millimètre, from milli- + mètre meter

First Known Use

1797, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for millimeter

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

Kids Definition

millimeter

noun

mil·​li·​me·​ter ˈmil-ə-ˌmēt-ər 

: a measure of length equal to ¹⁄₁₀₀₀ meter see metric system table

Medical Definition

millimeter

noun

mil·​li·​me·​ter

variants or chiefly British millimetre

ˈmil-ə-ˌmēt-ər 

: one thousandth of a meter

—abbreviation mm