ENGLISH
REFERENCE

millimeters

n. plural-only
B1 Intermediate US //ˈmɪɫəˌmitɝz// mil·lime·ters

n. a very small unit of length. There are ten of these in one centimeter and one thousand in one meter.

n. a metric unit of length equal to one thousandth of a meter. This plural form refers to the measurement or the physical distance itself.


SIMPLE

The insect is only five millimeters long.

CONTEXTUAL

The carpenter adjusted the shelf by a few millimeters to ensure it was perfectly level.

COMPLEX

Precision engineering requires components to be manufactured with tolerances measured in fractions of millimeters to ensure seamless mechanical integration.

Synonyms
Usage

As a plural noun, it takes a plural verb when referring to individual units, but often takes a singular verb when referring to a total distance or amount.

Pitfall

The gap is five millimeter wide.The gap is five millimeters wide.When used as a noun to state a measurement, the plural form must be used for amounts greater than one.

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