centímetro

sen-TEE-meh-troh/senˈtimetɾo/

“centímetro” means “centimeter” in Spanish (unit of length).

centimeter

Also: cm

General

Mi cuaderno mide veinte centímetros de largo.

My notebook is twenty centimeters long.

Tienes que cortar la cuerda unos centímetros más arriba.

You have to cut the rope a few centimeters higher up.

La tela se encogió varios centímetros después de lavarla.

The fabric shrank several centimeters after washing it.

centímetro a centímetro – bit by bit or very slowly/carefully
no ceder ni un centímetro – to not give in at all; to stand one's ground completely

Words that translate to "centímetro" in Spanish:

Question 1 of 3

How many 'centímetros' are in one 'metro'?

👥 Word Family▼

milímetro(millimeter) — Noun

métrico(metric) — Adjective

🎵 Rhymes▼

perímetromilímetrotermómetro

📚 Etymology▼

Created by combining the Latin word 'centum' (meaning one hundred) with the Greek-derived Latin word 'metrum' (meaning measure).

First recorded: 18th century (during the development of the metric system)

Cognates (Related words)

French: centimètreItalian: centimetroPortuguese: centímetro

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Does 'centímetro' change if I'm in Spain vs. Mexico?

The meaning is exactly the same, but the pronunciation of the 'c' changes. In Spain it sounds like 'th' and in Mexico like 's'.

How do I say 'square centimeter'?

You say 'centímetro cuadrado'.

Why is there an accent on the 'i'?

The accent (tilde) tells you to put the stress on that specific syllable: cen-TÍ-me-tro.