centimeter

[ sen-tuh-mee-ter ]

noun

1. one 100th of a meter, equivalent to 0.3937 inch. : cm, cm.

centimeter

/ sĕn′tə-mē′tər /

1. A unit of length in the metric system equal to 0.01 meter.
2. See Table at measurement

centimeter

1. A unit of length in the metric system ; one-hundredth of a meter , or about two-fifths of an inch.

Word History and Origins

Origin of centimeter¹

From the French word centimètre, dating back to 1795–1805. See centi-, meter ¹

Example Sentences

Their discovery of Uncus dzaugisi, a worm-like creature rarely over a few centimeters in length, is described in a paper published today in Current Biology.

From Science Daily

The infestation cycle continues when the maggots emerge 10 days later, drop from the fruit and burrow two to three centimeters into the dirt to pupate.

From Los Angeles Times

It doesn't look like much — just a small, thin and pale little thing, only about 15 centimeters long.

From Salon

In the process, she discovered that the left-leaning credentials of so many in the so-called wellness world were a centimeter deep, more about aesthetics than values.

From Salon

The Secret Service has warded off two assassination attempts on the TV personality-turned-head of state, with Trump's survival of the first attack coming down to a matter of centimeters.

From Salon