The Metric System and Latin and Greek Elements



-METER: a unit of linear measurement [French mètre, from Greek metron, measure]

-LITER: a unit of liquid measurement [French litre, from obsolete litron, old measure of capacity, from Medieval Latin litra, from Greek litra, a unit of weight, a pound, a silver coin of Sicily]

-GRAM: a unit of solid measurement [French gramme, from Late Latin gramma, a small unit, from Greek gramma, letter]




LATIN


NUMERICAL BASE +


MEASUREMENT BASE =


UNIT OF MEASURE


DECIMETER


DECI-(ten)


-METER


1/10 meter


CENTILITER


CENT- (hundred)


-LITER


1/100 liter


MILLIGRAM


MILLI- (thousand)


-GRAM


1/1000 gram



GREEK


NUMERICAL BASE +


MEASUREMENT BASE =


UNIT OF MEASURE


DECAMETER


DECA- (ten)


-METER


10 meters


HECTOLITER


HECTO- (liter)


-LITER


100 liters


KILOGRAM


KILO- (thousand)


-GRAM


1000 grams

CLAS251 Scientific Terminology

Monmouth College Monmouth, Illinois

Instructor: Thomas J. Sienkewicz (toms@monm.edu)

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