Zentimeter

Zentimeter is a nonstandard unit of length used primarily in speculative fiction, worldbuilding, and design discussions to illustrate scales that lie between conventional centimeters and meters. It has no official status in the International System of Units (SI) and there is no universally accepted value assigned to one Zentimeter.

In fiction, writers may define a Zentimeter differently within their own worlds, using it to control the narrative scale of objects, distances, or technological devices. Some works treat a Zentimeter as a fixed fraction of a meter, while others use the term as a storytelling shorthand without committing to a precise conversion.

Outside fiction, Zentimeter appears in informal discussions and prototypes to explore scaling concepts without enforcing SI terminology. It is sometimes used as a playful branding or labeling device, rather than a measurement standard.

Etymology and usage notes: The name combines a stylistic prefix with centimeter, signaling its fictional or speculative nature. Because there is no standard definition, readers and designers must rely on the context provided in each work or project. See also centi­meter, non-SI units, and worldbuilding terminology.