millimetre: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Medium (common in scientific, technical, engineering, and manufacturing contexts; less common in everyday conversation).Formal, Technical, Scientific.
Quick answer
What does “millimetre” mean?
A unit of length in the metric system, equal to one thousandth of a metre.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A unit of length in the metric system, equal to one thousandth of a metre.
In figurative or technical contexts, can represent a very small distance, increment, or tolerance.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: UK/CAN uses 'millimetre', US uses 'millimeter'. Usage is identical in meaning and application.
Connotations
None specific.
Frequency
Frequency is context-dependent; equally common in relevant technical fields in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “millimetre” in a Sentence
NUM + millimetre(s) (e.g., 5 millimetres)NUM + mm (the standard abbreviation)a width/depth/length of NUM + millimetre(s)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “millimetre” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- The gap must not exceed two millimetres.
- The surgeon removed a tumour measuring 25 millimetres.
American English
- The tolerance is plus or minus half a millimeter.
- Rainfall was less than one millimeter yesterday.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in specifications for manufacturing, product design, and tolerances (e.g., 'The component must be machined to within 0.1mm').
Academic
Common in physics, engineering, biology, medicine (e.g., tumour size, precipitation measurements).
Everyday
Used in DIY, sewing, describing small objects or rainfall (e.g., 'We had 15mm of rain overnight').
Technical
The standard small unit in technical drawings, schematics, and scientific data.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “millimetre”
- Misspelling as 'milimeter' (single 'l').
- Confusing 'mm' with 'cm' in abbreviations.
- Using it as a general synonym for 'small' outside of measurement contexts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, 'mm' is the standard international abbreviation for millimetre(s).
A centimetre (cm) is ten millimetres (mm). So 1 cm = 10 mm.
Not directly. For volume, you use 'cubic millimetre' (mm³), which is a millimetre x millimetre x millimetre.
You almost always say the full word 'millimetre(s)'. Saying 'mm' aloud is very rare outside of casual, context-heavy technical talk.
A unit of length in the metric system, equal to one thousandth of a metre.
Millimetre is usually formal, technical, scientific. in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Within a millimetre of (something): extremely close to achieving or experiencing something, often a negative outcome.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a metre stick. A millimetre is one of the tiny, tiny marks on it. 'Milli-' means 'one thousandth', just like a milligram is a thousandth of a gram.
Conceptual Metaphor
PRECISION IS SMALLNESS / A SMALL AMOUNT IS A SMALL PHYSICAL DISTANCE.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the correct UK English spelling?