Centi (symbol c) is a prefix in the metric system denoting a factor of one hundredth. Adopted in 1795, the prefix comes from the Latin centum, meaning hundred. It is mainly used with the metre to express lengths in centimetres, a common unit of length.
Examples:
- A honeybee is about 1.3 centimeters in length.[1]
Metric prefixes |
Prefix |
Symbol |
1000m |
10n |
Decimal |
English word |
Since[n 1] |
short scale |
long scale |
yotta |
Y |
10008 |
1024 |
1000000000000000000000000 |
septillion |
quadrillion |
1991 |
zetta |
Z |
10007 |
1021 |
1000000000000000000000 |
sextillion |
thousand trillion |
1991 |
exa |
E |
10006 |
1018 |
1000000000000000000 |
quintillion |
trillion |
1975 |
peta |
P |
10005 |
1015 |
1000000000000000 |
quadrillion |
thousand billion |
1975 |
tera |
T |
10004 |
1012 |
1000000000000 |
trillion |
billion |
1960 |
giga |
G |
10003 |
109 |
1000000000 |
billion |
thousand million |
1960 |
mega |
M |
10002 |
106 |
1000000 |
million |
1960 |
kilo |
k |
10001 |
103 |
1000 |
thousand |
1795 |
hecto |
h |
10002/3 |
102 |
100 |
hundred |
1795 |
deca |
da |
10001/3 |
101 |
10 |
ten |
1795 |
|
10000 |
100 |
1 |
one |
– |
deci |
d |
1000−1/3 |
10−1 |
0.1 |
tenth |
1795 |
centi |
c |
1000−2/3 |
10−2 |
0.01 |
hundredth |
1795 |
milli |
m |
1000−1 |
10−3 |
0.001 |
thousandth |
1795 |
micro |
µ |
1000−2 |
10−6 |
0.000001 |
millionth |
1960 |
nano |
n |
1000−3 |
10−9 |
0.000000001 |
billionth |
thousand millionth |
1960 |
pico |
p |
1000−4 |
10−12 |
0.000000000001 |
trillionth |
billionth |
1960 |
femto |
f |
1000−5 |
10−15 |
0.000000000000001 |
quadrillionth |
thousand billionth |
1964 |
atto |
a |
1000−6 |
10−18 |
0.000000000000000001 |
quintillionth |
trillionth |
1964 |
zepto |
z |
1000−7 |
10−21 |
0.000000000000000000001 |
sextillionth |
thousand trillionth |
1991 |
yocto |
y |
1000−8 |
10−24 |
0.000000000000000000000001 |
septillionth |
quadrillionth |
1991 |
- ↑ The metric system was introduced in 1795 with six prefixes. The other dates relate to recognition by a resolution of the CGPM.
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References