liter

noun

li·​ter ˈlē-tər 

variants or litre

: a metric unit of capacity equal to one cubic decimeter see Metric System Table

Examples of liter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For perspective, covering a single hectare of ski slope demands one million liters of water. —Dianne Plummer, Forbes, 25 Dec. 2024

Seaman bled for hours before undergoing emergency surgery which uncovered four to five liters of blood in her abdomen, the BBC previously reported. —Latoya Gayle, People.com, 24 Dec. 2024

With 83 liters of space to pack, the medium-size suitcase is plenty spacious yet compact enough to wheel through airports and city centers alike. —Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 23 Dec. 2024

The eruption released over 750 billion liters of lava—enough to fill more than 300,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools—mainly in the form of rock fragments. —Ashley Balzer Vigil, Ars Technica, 21 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French litre, from Medieval Latin litra, a measure, from Greek, a weight

First Known Use

1797, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

liter

noun

li·​ter

variants or litre

ˈlēt-ər

: a metric unit of capacity equal to one cubic decimeter see metric system

Medical Definition

liter

noun

li·​ter

variants or chiefly British litre

ˈlēt-ər 

: a metric unit of capacity equal to the volume of one kilogram of water at 4°C (39°F) and at standard atmospheric pressure of 760 millimeters of mercury