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 81- x 60-centimeter (32- x 24-inch) painting, which is signed in the upper-left corner of the canvas, will be auctioned on October 24.
—
Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2025
With this method, the researchers produced clear mid-infrared images with a depth of field greater than 35 centimeters and a field of view wider than 6 centimeters.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2025
The VideoDisc player spun the 30-centimeter disc at a constant 450 rpm.
—Allison Marsh, IEEE Spectrum, 17 Sep. 2025
But microwaves are much longer in wavelength, at around 10 centimeters (a few inches), and so the light can’t pass through the holes.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for centimeter
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Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2025
With this method, the researchers produced clear mid-infrared images with a depth of field greater than 35 centimeters and a field of view wider than 6 centimeters.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2025
The VideoDisc player spun the 30-centimeter disc at a constant 450 rpm.
—Allison Marsh, IEEE Spectrum, 17 Sep. 2025
But microwaves are much longer in wavelength, at around 10 centimeters (a few inches), and so the light can’t pass through the holes.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for centimeter
Cite this Entry
“Centimeter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/centimeter. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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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