centimeter

A centimeter is a unit of measurement for length, or how long something is. It's smaller than an inch.

When we talk about sizes and distances, we often use centimeters to describe things that are quite small. Imagine you're measuring your height: it might be 170 centimeters tall! That's the same as saying you're about five feet six inches. Or think of a book on a shelf - if it says "12 cm" in the corner, that means it's only a few inches wide. People often use centimeters when they're talking about everyday objects and how much space they take up. In some countries, like Europe, you might see centimeters used more often than inches or feet.