What Is a Centimeter?
A centimeter (symbol: cm) is a unit of length in the International System of Units (SI), equal to one hundredth of a metre. The prefix “centi” means one hundredth (1/100).
Definition
1 centimeter = 0.01 meters = 10 millimeters = 0.3937 inches
History
The centimeter was introduced with the metric system during the French Revolution in the 1790s. It was designed to be a practical, human-scale unit of length. Today, it is used worldwide for everyday measurements.
Common Uses
- Body measurements (height, waist, etc.)
- Clothing sizes
- Screen sizes (in some countries)
- Furniture dimensions
- Maps and scale drawings
Relation to Other Units
- 1 cm = 10 mm
- 1 cm = 0.01 m
- 1 cm = 0.3937 inches
- 100 cm = 1 meter