centimeter
noun
cen·ti·me·ter
ˈsen-tə-ˌmē-tər 
ˈsän-
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
The remains, belonging to a man between 17 and 24 years old, feature an oval hole roughly 3 centimeters in diameter.
—
Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
That means those two points moved away from each other at a velocity of only one centimeter per second, much slower than the endpoints.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 6 Feb. 2026
For every extra two centimeters in their suit, a ski jumper’s drag increased by about 4% and their lift increased by about 5%, according to the study.
—Peter Sblendorio, Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2026
The rules dictate their suits must conform to their body measurements, within 2 to 4 centimeters.
—Haley Ott, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for centimeter
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Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
That means those two points moved away from each other at a velocity of only one centimeter per second, much slower than the endpoints.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 6 Feb. 2026
For every extra two centimeters in their suit, a ski jumper’s drag increased by about 4% and their lift increased by about 5%, according to the study.
—Peter Sblendorio, Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2026
The rules dictate their suits must conform to their body measurements, within 2 to 4 centimeters.
—Haley Ott, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for centimeter
Cite this Entry
“Centimeter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/centimeter. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
centimeter
noun
cen·ti·me·ter
ˈsent-ə-ˌmēt-ər
ˈsänt-
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
: a unit of length equal to ¹/₁₀₀ meter
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