Deciliters

A deciliter is a unit of volume in the metric system equal to one tenth of a liter. It is usually abbreviated as dL (with occasional use of dl). The deciliter is a derived unit; since 1 liter is defined as 1 cubic decimeter, 1 dL equals 0.1 liters, which is also 100 cubic centimeters or 100 milliliters. Therefore, 10 dL equals 1 liter.

Usage and regional context vary. The deciliter is commonly used in some countries for measuring liquids such as beverages, milk, and cooking ingredients. It may appear on nutrition labels or in recipes in parts of Europe and Asia. In the United States, deciliters are relatively uncommon, and milliliters or fluid ounces are typically preferred. Spelling conventions vary by region: "deciliter" is common in American English, while "decilitre" is typical in British and other Commonwealth varieties.

Conversions to keep in mind include: 1 dL = 0.1 L = 100 mL = 100 cm³; 10 dL = 1 L. These relationships make the deciliter convenient for everyday measurements of small-to-medium liquid volumes, especially in contexts where liters would be too large and milliliters too small.