Tuumat

Tuumat is the Finnish term for inches, a unit of length used in the imperial and US customary measurement systems. A tuuma (singular) equals one inch, and the standard conversion is exactly 2.54 centimeters. The inch was defined internationally in 1959 as 25.4 millimeters, through an agreement among the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and other countries. In practice, inches are commonly subdivided into halves, quarters, eighths, sixteenths, and smaller fractions for precision.

Usage and context

In Finland, metric units are the standard for everyday measurement, but tuumat remain relevant in international contexts. They appear in areas such as consumer electronics, automotive parts, and imported products, where dimensions are often specified in inches. Common examples include screen sizes (measured diagonally in inches), drill bits, pipe fittings, fasteners, tires, and other components sourced from countries that use the inch system. When Finnish speakers refer to multiple inches, they use the plural tuumat.

Etymology and historical background

The Finnish word tuuma is cognate with related terms in other Germanic languages (for example, Swedish tum and German Zoll) that trace back to the historical inch used across Europe and in English-speaking regions. The adoption of metric units in Finland did not eliminate the use of inches in specialized or international contexts, where the inch remains a practical standard.

Summary

Tuumat denote inches, the length unit defined as 2.54 cm. While Finland relies on the metric system, the term persists in technical and consumer contexts involving international products and specifications.