centimetër

Centimetër (also known in English as centimetre) is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one-hundredth of a metre. Its symbol is cm. The centimetër is a derived unit in the International System of Units (SI); the metre is the base unit of length, and 1 m = 100 cm, so 1 cm = 0.01 m. The prefix centi- derives from Latin centum, meaning hundred.

The centimetër emerged with the adoption of the metric system in the late 18th and early 19th centuries as a practical subdivision of the metre for everyday measurements. Although SI defines the metre as the base unit, the centimetër remains widely used for heights, clothing, small objects, and engineering drawings, particularly in contexts where measurements are convenient in the tens or hundreds of centimetres.

A centimetër can be divided into millimetres: 1 cm = 10 mm; into decimetres: 1 dm = 10 cm; into metres: 1 m = 100 cm. The square centimetre (cm²) is used for area, and the cubic centimetre (cm³) for volume, though for larger volumes SI commonly uses litres and cubic metres.

For international comparisons, 1 inch equals 2.54 centimetres exactly. In scientific work, the metre is the preferred unit, but the centimetër remains a common unit in daily life, education, and many industries.