Millilitra

Millilitra is a unit of volume in the metric system. It is defined as one thousandth of a liter, and its symbol is mL. One milliliter is exactly equal to one cubic centimeter (cm^3). The liter itself is defined as the volume of a cube with 10 cm sides (a cubic decimeter). While the liter is not an SI base unit, it is accepted for use with the SI.

Milliliters are commonly used to measure small quantities of liquids in science, medicine, cooking, and everyday life. They appear on syringes, droppers, labware, and beverage labels. Dosing medicines, measuring ingredients for recipes, and describing liquid volumes in experiments typically rely on milliliters.

Notational conventions and conversions are straightforward. The correct SI-style symbol is mL, with a lowercase m and an uppercase L to avoid confusion with the numeral 1. In practical terms, 1 mL equals 0.001 liters, and 1 liter equals 1000 milliliters. In some contexts, particularly older medical literature, the term cubic centimeter (cc) is used to denote the same volume, but cc is not an SI unit.

Regional spellings and terminology vary. In English, both milliliter and millilitre are used, with differences largely reflecting regional preferences. Other languages render the unit as mililitro or mililitro, with similar value. As part of the metric system, the milliliter serves as a convenient unit for expressing moderate liquid volumes across science, industry, and everyday life.