Milliliter (mL)

Definition

One thousandth of a liter, equal to one cubic centimeter (cm³).

History

The milliliter is one thousandth of a liter, equal to one cubic centimeter. It came with the decimal metric system as the unit for small liquid volumes.

Where it is used

Milliliters are used for recipes, medicine doses and cosmetics, and are printed on most small bottles and cans.

Typical uses include recipes, medicine doses, cosmetics.

Conversion pages

These pages convert milliliter to or from another unit in volume.

• Milliliter to US cup
• US fluid ounce to milliliter
• Tablespoon to milliliter
• Teaspoon to milliliter

Other Volume units

• Liter (L)
• US gallon (gal)
• US quart (qt)
• US pint (pt)
• US cup (cup)
• US fluid ounce (fl oz)
• Tablespoon (tbsp)
• Teaspoon (tsp)
• Cubic meter (m³)
• Cubic foot (ft³)

Sources

• BIPM SI BIPM SI Brochure (2019); the litre is an SI-accepted unit (1 L = 1 dm³) · Dataset reviewed Nov 11, 2026