milli-

1. a combining form meaning “thousand” ( millipede ): in the metric system, used in the names of units equal to one thousandth of the given base unit ( millimeter ).

milli-

prefix

1. denoting 10 ^–3 m

   millimetre

milli–

1. A prefix that means “one thousandth,” as in millimeter, one thousandth of a meter.

Word History and Origins

Origin of milli-¹

< French < Latin, combining form of mille thousand

Word History and Origins

Origin of milli-¹

from French, from Latin mille thousand, this meaning being maintained in words borrowed from Latin ( millipede )

Example Sentences

Millions bought Milli Vanilli records and believe the WWE is “for real” so don’t act surprised that Trump won.

From Salon

Earlier this month, Flo Milli released “Fine Ho, Stay,” her third — and arguably best — studio album.

From Seattle Times

Milli recently dropped a remix with superstars SZA and Cardi B, while previously released remixes with Lil Yachty and a separate one with R&B crooner Bryson Tiller, both landed in December.

From Seattle Times

We went through the Milli Vanilli era where people was lip synching.

From Los Angeles Times

Few stories illustrated the compassion and empathy for recording artists that infused Chuck’s work like his coverage of the Milli Vanilli scandal in 1990.

From Los Angeles Times

Words That Use milli-

What does milli- mean?

Milli- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “thousand.” In names of units of measure, particularly in the metric system, milli- means “one thousandth.” It is often used in scientific and technical terms.

Milli– comes from the Latin mille, meaning “thousand.” The Greek translation of mille is chī́lioi, “a thousand,” which is the source of English terms such as kilogram and kilometer. To learn more, check out our entries for both words.

Examples of milli-

An example of a word you may have encountered that features milli– is millisecond, “one thousandth of a second.”

The milli– part of millisecond literally means “thousand.” But, because –second is a unit of measure (of time), here milli– means “one thousandth.” Millimeter literally means “one thousandth of a second.”

What are some words that use the combining form milli-?

• milliampere
• millibar
• millicurie
• millimeter (using the equivalent form of milli- in French)
• millipede (using the equivalent form of milli- in Latin)

What are some other forms that milli– may be commonly confused with?

• melano-
• melo-

Not every word that begins with the exact letters milli-, such as milliner, is necessarily using the combining form milli– to denote “thousand.” Learn why milliner means “hat-maker” at our entry for the word.

Break it down!

The combining form –pede means “having a foot.” With this in mind, what does millipede literally mean?