A centimeter (symbol: cm) is a unit of length in the International System of Units (SI), the current form of the metric system. It is defined as 1/100 meters.
History/OriginA centimeter is based on the SI unit meter, and as the prefix 'centi' indicates, is equal to one hundredth of a meter. Metric prefixes range from factors of 10-18 to 1018 based on a decimal system, with the base (in this case the meter) hing no prefix and hing a factor of 1.
Current UseThe centimeter, like the meter, is used in all sorts of applications worldwide (in countries that he undergone metrication) in instances where a smaller denomination of the meter is required. Height is commonly measured in centimeters outside of countries like the United States.