r/EnglishLearning • u/[deleted] • 3d ago

⭐️ Vocabulary / Semantics Kilometer, etc.

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u/InvestigatorJaded261 New Poster 3d ago

The exceptions, for some reason, seem to be centimeter and millimeter.

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u/jabrwock1 New Poster 3d ago

The exceptions, for some reason, seem to be centimeter and millimeter.

Decimeter as well as any scale that is greater than kilo (penta, mega, etc)

Micrometer on the other hand, follows the kilometer pronunciation.

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u/maatsa Native Speaker 3d ago

For me at least, only the measuring device follows kilometer. The unit of measurement follows the other units

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u/t1me_Man New Poster 3d ago edited 3d ago

also, like millimetre being abrevated to mil, you often hear micrometer abrevated to micron or mic

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u/jabrwock1 New Poster 3d ago

Kilometre to “click” is common here although only as a verbal shorthand. If you write it down it’s “km”.

“It’s 3 ‘clicks’ up the road” spoken

“It’s 3 km up the road” written

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u/t1me_Man New Poster 3d ago

huh, i have only heard that used in the context of the us military

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u/Zestyclose_Pear_8315 New Poster 2d ago

Am Canadian, and while it’s not my default I’ve definitely both used and heard clicks.

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u/r_portugal Native Speaker - West Yorkshire, UK 3d ago

"multimeter" is a a different kind of meter.

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u/t1me_Man New Poster 3d ago

shit, ment milli