millimeter

noun

mil·​li·​me·​ter ˈmi-lə-ˌmē-tər How to pronounce millimeter (audio)
variants US millimeter or British millimetre
: a unit of length equal to ¹/₁₀₀₀ meter see Metric System Table

Examples of millimeter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The researchers acquired these bits from four individuals and cut out circles one or two millimeters across for genetic sequencing. Amber Dance, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Jan. 2025 One would-be assassin nicked his ear, coming within millimeters of murdering him on national television. Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025 Your blood pressure reading is displayed on the screen in millimeters of mercury (mmHg), often as a fraction (e.g., 120/80). Vanessa Caceres, Verywell Health, 16 Jan. 2025 On a telescope, magnification can be calculated by dividing its objective lens's focal length by the eyepiece's focal length, both expressed in millimeters. Jamie Carter, Space.com, 15 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for millimeter 

Word History

Etymology

French millimètre, from milli- + mètre meter

First Known Use

1797, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of millimeter was in 1797

Dictionary Entries Near millimeter

Cite this Entry

“Millimeter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/millimeter. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

millimeter

noun
mil·​li·​me·​ter ˈmil-ə-ˌmēt-ər How to pronounce millimeter (audio)
: a measure of length equal to ¹⁄₁₀₀₀ meter see metric system table

Medical Definition

millimeter

noun
mil·​li·​me·​ter
variants or chiefly British millimetre
: one thousandth of a meter
abbreviation mm

More from Merriam-Webster on millimeter

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