The spelling of the word "millilitre" might seem puzzling to some, but it makes perfect sense when you understand the phonetic transcription of the word. The British English pronunciation is /ˈmɪlɪliːtə/, with emphasis on the second syllable. This explains why the word is spelled with two "L"s in the middle, and "RE" at the end instead of "ER". "Millilitre" is commonly abbreviated as "ml" and is used for measuring liquids in metric units.
A millilitre (ml) is a unit of measurement used to quantify volume in the metric system. It is a derived metric unit of the litre (L), which is the base unit used to measure volume. One millilitre is equal to one-thousandth of a litre, or 0.001 L.
The millilitre is commonly used to measure small volumes of liquids and is often used in various scientific, medical, and pharmaceutical applications. It provides a more precise measurement than larger units such as litres or gallons, particularly when dealing with fluids in small quantities.
To better comprehend the volume represented by a millilitre, one can visualize it as the amount of space occupied by one cubic centimetre (cm3) or one gram (g) of water at standard temperature and pressure (STP). Therefore, a millilitre is roughly equivalent to one cubic centimetre or one gram in terms of volume.
Millilitres are represented by the symbol "ml" or sometimes "mL" when capitalization is required. They are widely utilized to express medication dosages, liquids administered in medical procedures, the capacity of small containers, or the concentration of chemicals.
In conclusion, a millilitre is a metric unit of volume equal to 0.001 L, commonly used for measuring small quantities of fluids in various fields such as science, medicine, and pharmaceuticals.
The one-thousandth of a litre.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
The word "millilitre" is derived from two Latin components: "milli-" and "liter".
1. "Milli-" is a prefix in the metric system meaning "one thousandth". It comes from the Latin word "mille", meaning "thousand". In the metric system, this prefix denotes the multiplication of the base unit by one thousand.
2. "Liter" is a unit of volume used in the metric system. It comes from the French word "litre", which was borrowed from the Medieval Latin word "litra". "Litra" itself was derived from the Greek word "litra", meaning "a unit of weight".
Therefore, "millilitre" combines the Latin prefix "milli-" denoting "one thousandth" and the unit of volume "liter". It represents one thousandth of a liter.