Centimeter
/ˈsɛn.təˌmiː.tər/noun
A metric unit of length equal to one hundredth of a meter.
Did you know?The first element comes from Latin centum, meaning “one hundred,” the same root behind cent, century, and centipede — so this little measurement is secretly a descendant of ancient “hundred” power.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ḱm̥tóm
“one hundred”
Latin
Latin
centum
“one hundred”
French
French
centimètre
“one hundredth of a meter”
Late 18th Century
French
centimètre
“a metric unit equal to one hundredth of a metre”
Modern English
English
centimeter
“a unit of length equal to one hundredth of a meter”