Dekimetern

Dekimetern, often written as decimeter in English, is a unit of length in the metric system equal to one tenth of a meter. The symbol is dm, derived from the prefix deci- meaning one tenth and the base unit meter. Therefore, 1 dm equals 0.1 m, which is also 10 centimeters or 100 millimeters.

Usage and context: The decimeter is a derived SI unit, but it is not widely used in scientific work today. In practice, centimeters and meters cover most practical needs, while decimeters may appear in educational contexts or in regional usage for measuring furniture dimensions, room sizes, or sheet materials.

History and notes: The decimeter developed with the adoption of the metric system in the 18th and 19th centuries. In many languages it remained in common use for several decades, but over time centimeters and meters became more convenient, reducing its everyday use. In technical writing, dm is recognized as an SI unit, though it is often avoided in favor of meters or centimeters to express measurements more conveniently.

See also: Meter, Centimeter, Millimeter, SI units.