Convert Milliliters to Liters

Milliliter

Definition: A milliliter (symbol: mL) is a unit of volume in the metric system, equal to one-thousandth of a liter. It corresponds to 1 cubic centimeter (cm³) and is approximately equivalent to 0.03381 fluid ounces in the US customary system.

History/origin: The milliliter derives from the liter, a fundamental unit in the metric system that was established during the French Revolution. The prefix "milli-" comes from the Latin word "mille," meaning "one thousand," indicating that a milliliter is one-thousandth of a liter. The metric system, including the liter and its subdivisions, was developed to create a decimal-based, standardized measurement system that would be more practical and universal than the varied traditional systems in use at the time.

Current use: The milliliter is one of the most commonly used volume measurements worldwide. It's the standard unit for measuring small amounts of liquids in medicine (dosages), cooking (ingredients), laboratory work, and consumer products. Most countries use milliliters in everyday contexts, and even in the United States, where customary units predominate, milliliters are standard for many applications including pharmaceuticals, nutrition information, and scientific contexts. Its precise nature makes it ideal for applications requiring accuracy, such as chemistry and medicine.

Liter

Definition: A liter (symbol: L or l) is a metric unit of volume. It is defined as 1 cubic decimeter (dm³), which is equal to 1000 cubic centimeters (cm³) or 0.001 cubic meters (m³).

History/origin: The liter was introduced in France in 1795 as one of the new "republican units of measurement" defined by the French Academy of Sciences. The original definition was based on the volume of a kilogram of pure water at the temperature of melting ice (0°C). The word "liter" comes from the old French unit "litron," which was derived from Greek and Latin measures.

The spelling "liter" is predominantly used in American English, while "litre" is preferred in most other English-speaking countries. In 1964, the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) reintroduced the liter as a special name for the cubic decimeter, making it officially a non-SI unit accepted for use with the SI.

Current use: The liter is widely used worldwide for measuring liquids in everyday life. It's commonly used for beverages, fuel, household products, and many other applications. Smaller volumes are measured in milliliters (mL), with 1,000 milliliters equaling 1 liter. Larger volumes might be expressed in kiloliters (kL), with 1 kiloliter equaling 1,000 liters.