Meter (m) - Unit Information & Conversion
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What is a Meter?
The meter (m) is the SI base unit of length, defined by the distance light travels in vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second. Used globally for measuring distance, height, and dimensions. Equals 100 centimeters, 3.28 feet, or about 39.4 inches.
History of the Meter
Originally defined in 1793 as one ten-millionth of the distance from equator to North Pole. Redefined multiple times for precision, culminating in the current 1983 definition based on the speed of light, a fundamental constant. Forms the foundation of the metric system used by 95% of the world.
Quick Answer
What is a meter? A meter (m) is the fundamental SI unit of length, defined by the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second. It equals 100 centimeters, 3.28 feet, or about 39.4 inches - roughly the distance from your nose to your fingertips with arm outstretched. Use our length converter to convert meters to feet, inches, kilometers, and more instantly.
Quick Comparison Table
| Meters | Feet | Inches | Centimeters | Common Example | Convert Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 m | 3.28 ft | 39.4 in | 100 cm | Guitar length | Convert → |
| 2 m | 6.56 ft | 78.7 in | 200 cm | Doorway height | Convert → |
| 5 m | 16.4 ft | 197 in | 500 cm | Parking space | Convert → |
| 10 m | 32.8 ft | 394 in | 1,000 cm | Bus length | Convert → |
| 100 m | 328 ft | 3,937 in | 10,000 cm | Olympic sprint | Convert → |
| 1,000 m | 3,281 ft | 39,370 in | 100,000 cm | = 1 kilometer | Convert → |
Need a different conversion? Try our length converter for all length units.
Definition
The meter (US spelling) or metre (International spelling) (symbol: m) is the base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). It is one of the seven SI base units and forms the foundation for measuring distance in the metric system.
Modern Definition (1983): The meter is defined as the distance traveled by light in a vacuum in exactly 1/299,792,458 of a second. This definition links the meter to the speed of light, a fundamental constant of nature (c = 299,792,458 meters per second).
Key relationships:
- 1 meter = 100 centimeters (cm)
- 1 meter = 1,000 millimeters (mm)
- 1 meter = 0.001 kilometers (km)
- 1,000 meters = 1 kilometer
In terms of imperial/US customary units:
- 1 meter ≈ 3.28084 feet (ft) - Convert m to ft
- 1 meter ≈ 39.3701 inches (in) - Convert m to inches
- 1 meter ≈ 1.09361 yards (yd) - Convert m to yards
Visual perspective (how long is it?):
- 1 meter ≈ Length of a guitar
- 1 meter ≈ Distance from nose to fingertips (arm outstretched)
- 1 meter ≈ One adult step/stride
- 1 meter ≈ Width of a single bed
- 2 meters ≈ Standard doorway height
- 5 meters ≈ Length of a small car
It is the fundamental unit upon which all other SI length units are based through decimal multiplication or division.
Convert between length units: meter converter
History
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Pre-Revolutionary France (Pre-1790s): France used hundreds of different local length units, creating confusion in trade and science. The need for a universal, standardized system became critical.
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Birth of the Meter (1791-1793): During the French Revolution, the French Academy of Sciences proposed a new unit of length based on natural constants. They defined the meter as one ten-millionth (1/10,000,000) of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole along the meridian passing through Paris.
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Meridian Survey (1792-1799): Astronomers Pierre Méchain and Jean-Baptiste Delambre conducted a seven-year expedition to measure the meridian arc from Dunkirk to Barcelona to determine the exact length of the meter. This ambitious survey became legendary in scientific history.
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Platinum Meter Bar (1799): Based on the meridian measurements, the first physical standard was created: a platinum bar stored in the French National Archives. This became the legal meter in France.
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Treaty of the Metre (1875): Seventeen nations signed this international treaty, establishing the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) and the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) to maintain global measurement standards.
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International Prototype Meter (1889): A more precise platinum-iridium bar was created and designated as the international standard. This prototype was kept at the BIPM near Paris under controlled conditions (specific temperature, pressure, support points).
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Krypton-86 Definition (1960): To improve accuracy and reproducibility, the meter was redefined as 1,650,763.73 wavelengths of the orange-red light emitted by krypton-86 atoms in a vacuum. This was the first definition based on atomic physics rather than a physical object.
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Speed of Light Definition (1983): The current definition was adopted, fixing the speed of light at exactly 299,792,458 m/s and defining the meter based on this constant. This provided the most stable and reproducible definition possible, as the speed of light is a fundamental constant of nature.
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Global Adoption: Today, the meter is used by virtually every country in the world. Only Liberia, Myanmar, and the United States have not fully adopted the metric system for everyday use, though even the US uses it extensively in science, medicine, and manufacturing.
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Why It Matters: The meter's evolution from a physical bar to a definition based on universal constants represents humanity's quest for increasingly precise and universally accessible measurement standards.
Real-World Examples
Human Scale Measurements
Body Measurements:
- Height of average adult: 1.6-1.8 meters
- Arm span (fingertip to fingertip): ~1.5-1.8 meters
- Nose to fingertip (arm outstretched): ~1 meter
- Step/stride length: 0.7-1 meter
- Shoulder width: 0.4-0.5 meters
- Newborn baby length: 0.45-0.55 meters
Personal Space:
- Social distancing: 1.5-2 meters (COVID-19 guideline)
- Comfortable conversation distance: 1-1.5 meters
- Handshake distance: ~1 meter
Sports and Athletics
Track and Field:
- 100-meter dash: Classic sprint distance
- 200-meter race: Half-lap on standard track
- 400-meter race: One full lap
- 800-meter race: Middle distance (2 laps)
- 1,500-meter race: Metric mile (3.75 laps)
- High jump bar: 1.5-2.5 meters (world record: 2.45m men, 2.09m women)
- Pole vault: 4-6 meters (world record: 6.21m men, 5.06m women)
- Long jump: 7-8.5 meters (elite athletes)
Swimming:
- Olympic pool length: 50 meters
- Short-course pool: 25 meters
- Pool lanes width: 2.5 meters each
- Diving platform heights: 5, 7.5, or 10 meters
Team Sports Field Dimensions:
- Soccer/football field: 90-120 meters long, 45-90 meters wide
- Basketball court: 28 meters long (FIBA)
- Tennis court: 23.77 meters long
- Volleyball court: 18 meters long
Construction and Architecture
Room Dimensions:
- Ceiling height (standard): 2.4-2.7 meters
- Ceiling height (luxury): 3-4 meters
- Doorway height: 2-2.1 meters
- Doorway width: 0.8-1 meter
- Hallway width: 1-1.5 meters
- Stair step height: 0.15-0.2 meters
Building Elements:
- Standard brick length: 0.23 meters (230mm)
- 2x4 lumber (actual): 0.038 × 0.089 meters
- Plywood sheet: 1.22 × 2.44 meters
- Concrete block: 0.2 × 0.2 × 0.4 meters
- Ceiling tile: 0.6 × 0.6 meters
Building Heights:
- Single-story house: 3-4 meters
- Two-story house: 6-8 meters
- Standard floor-to-floor: 3-4 meters per floor
- Office building floor: 3.5-4 meters
- Warehouse height: 5-15 meters
Vehicles and Transportation
Vehicle Dimensions:
- Compact car length: 3.5-4.5 meters
- Sedan length: 4.5-5 meters
- SUV length: 4.5-5.5 meters
- Pickup truck: 5-6 meters
- City bus: 10-12 meters
- Semi-truck trailer: 13.6 meters (standard)
- Bicycle length: 1.7-1.8 meters
Parking and Roads:
- Parking space length: 5-6 meters
- Parking space width: 2.4-2.7 meters
- Highway lane width: 3.5-3.7 meters
- City lane width: 3-3.5 meters
Aviation:
- Cessna 172 wingspan: 11 meters
- Boeing 737 length: 31-43 meters (depending on variant)
- Airbus A380 wingspan: 79.75 meters
- Runway width: 30-60 meters
Household Items
Furniture:
- King bed: 2 × 2 meters
- Queen bed: 1.5 × 2 meters
- Twin bed: 1 × 2 meters
- Dining table: 1.5-2.5 meters long
- Sofa: 1.8-2.5 meters long
- Coffee table: 1-1.2 meters long
Appliances:
- Refrigerator height: 1.7-1.9 meters
- Washing machine: 0.6 × 0.6 × 0.85 meters
- Dishwasher width: 0.6 meters
- Microwave: 0.5-0.6 meters wide
Common Objects:
- Guitar length: ~1 meter
- Baseball bat: 1.07 meters (max)
- Surfboard: 1.8-2.7 meters
- Ski length: 1.5-2 meters
- Yoga mat: 1.7-1.8 meters
Nature and Animals
Trees and Plants:
- Mature oak tree: 20-30 meters tall
- Redwood (tallest trees): 100+ meters
- Sunflower: 2-4 meters
- Bamboo (daily growth): Up to 0.9 meters per day
Animals:
- Giraffe height: 4.5-5.5 meters
- African elephant height: 3-4 meters
- Horse height: 1.4-1.8 meters (at shoulder)
- Great white shark length: 4-6 meters
- Blue whale length: 24-30 meters
- Anaconda length: 5-9 meters
Urban Infrastructure
City Planning:
- Sidewalk width: 1.5-2.5 meters
- Bike lane width: 1.5-2 meters
- Street lamp height: 8-12 meters
- Traffic light height: 4.5-5.5 meters
- Billboard height: 5-15 meters
Public Spaces:
- Park bench: 1.5-2 meters long
- Bus shelter: 3-5 meters long
- Crosswalk width: 3-4 meters
- Pedestrian bridge width: 2-5 meters
Common Uses
The meter is the fundamental length unit used across virtually all fields worldwide:
Science and Research
The universal standard in all scientific disciplines. Essential for maintaining consistency in international research and allowing scientists globally to share and compare results.
Scientific Applications:
- Physics experiments and calculations
- Chemistry lab measurements
- Biology specimen measurements
- Astronomy (often combined with larger units like megameters or astronomical units)
- Geology and earth sciences
- Medical research and diagnostics
Why meters in science:
- SI base unit ensures universal understanding
- Decimal system simplifies calculations
- Precise definition based on fundamental constants
- Required for publication in scientific journals
- Enables international collaboration
Convert for scientific work: meters to other units
Construction and Engineering
Standard unit for building plans, specifications, and measurements in most countries. Essential for architectural drawings, structural engineering, and construction site work.
Construction uses:
- Building dimensions and floor plans
- Material specifications (lumber, pipes, cables)
- Site surveying and land measurements
- Road and bridge design
- Utility installations
- Safety clearances and regulations
Engineering disciplines:
- Civil engineering (infrastructure, roads, dams)
- Mechanical engineering (machine design, tolerances)
- Electrical engineering (cable runs, installations)
- Structural engineering (building analysis)
Why meters dominate:
- International building codes
- Global supply chains use metric
- Simplified scaling (1:100, 1:50 drawings)
- Easy conversion between units (mm, cm, m, km)
Athletics and Sports
The standard for track and field events, swimming pools, and most international sports. Creates consistency in competition and record-keeping worldwide.
Track and Field:
- All race distances (100m, 200m, 400m, etc.)
- Field event measurements (high jump, long jump, javelin)
- Track dimensions (400m oval)
Swimming:
- Pool lengths (25m, 50m)
- Race distances
- Pool depth specifications
Other Sports:
- Soccer field dimensions
- Basketball court measurements (FIBA)
- Tennis court specifications
- Ski jump distances
World Records: All Olympic and international records use meters
Manufacturing and Industry
Essential for product design, quality control, and manufacturing specifications. Enables global supply chains and standardized parts.
Manufacturing uses:
- Product dimensions and tolerances
- Machine specifications
- Assembly line measurements
- Quality control standards
- Shipping container sizes
- Material cutting and fabrication
Industries:
- Automotive (car dimensions, parts)
- Aerospace (aircraft specifications)
- Electronics (component spacing)
- Textiles (fabric measurements)
- Furniture (product dimensions)
Everyday Life (Metric Countries)
Daily measurements for height, distance, and dimensions in 95% of the world's countries.
Personal measurements:
- Human height and weight
- Clothing sizes (combined with cm)
- Recipe distances (rare, but when needed)
- Home improvement projects
Shopping:
- Fabric by the meter
- Carpeting and flooring
- Curtains and blinds
- Garden hoses and cables
Driving:
- Road signs (distances in km, using meters as base)
- Vehicle dimensions
- Parking regulations
Use our meter converter for everyday conversions.
Aviation and Maritime
Critical for navigation, altitude, and safety specifications in international travel.
Aviation:
- Runway lengths
- Aircraft dimensions
- Altitude (often in feet, but meters in some regions)
- Visibility distances
Maritime:
- Ship dimensions
- Harbor depths (often in meters or fathoms)
- Vessel clearances
- Navigation distances
Medical and Healthcare
Standard for patient measurements and medical equipment in most healthcare systems worldwide.
Medical uses:
- Patient height
- Wound measurements
- Medical imaging distances
- Equipment specifications
- Hospital room dimensions
- Surgical instrument lengths
Common Conversion Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Mistake #1: Rounding 1 meter to 3 feet
- Wrong: 1 meter = 3 feet
- Correct: 1 meter = 3.28 feet (or more precisely, 3.28084 ft)
- Why it matters: The error accumulates - 10 meters ≠ 30 feet (it's 32.8 feet)
- Example: A 100m sprint is 328 feet, not 300 feet
- Fix: Always use our meter to feet converter
❌ Mistake #2: Confusing meters with yards
- Wrong: Assuming 1 meter ≈ 1 yard
- Correct: 1 meter = 1.094 yards (about 9.4% longer)
- Impact: 100 meters = 109.4 yards (football field + 9.4 yards)
- Why it matters: Critical in sports (100m ≠ 100 yards)
- Remember: A meter is slightly longer than a yard
- Tool: meters to yards converter
❌ Mistake #3: Wrong centimeter conversion
- Wrong: 1 meter = 10 centimeters
- Correct: 1 meter = 100 centimeters
- Remember: "centi" means 1/100, so 100 cm = 1 m
- Example: 1.5 meters = 150 cm, NOT 15 cm
- Visual: 1 cm is about the width of your pinky fingernail
❌ Mistake #4: Kilometer confusion
- Wrong: 1 meter = 100 kilometers
- Correct: 1,000 meters = 1 kilometer (or 1 m = 0.001 km)
- Remember: "kilo" means 1,000
- Example: 500 meters = 0.5 km, NOT 0.005 km
- Mnemonic: Think "K = thousand"
❌ Mistake #5: Mixing up meters and square meters
- Wrong: Thinking 5 meters can measure an area
- Correct: Meters (m) measure length, square meters (m²) measure area
- Meter: One-dimensional (length, height, distance)
- Square meter: Two-dimensional (area, surface)
- Example: Room is 5 meters long (length) vs. 25 square meters (area)
❌ Mistake #6: Incorrect inch conversion
- Wrong: 1 meter = 36 inches (confusing with yards)
- Correct: 1 meter = 39.37 inches
- Why: 1 meter = 3.28 feet × 12 inches/foot ≈ 39.4 inches
- Example: 2 meters = 78.7 inches (not 72 inches)
- Tool: meters to inches converter
Meter Conversion Formulas
To Kilometer:
To Hectometer:
To Decimeter:
To Centimeter:
To Millimeter:
To Inch:
To Foot:
To Yard:
To Mile:
To Nautical Mile:
To Micrometer:
To Nanometer:
To Light Year:
To Astronomical Unit:
To Parsec:
To Angstrom:
To Point (Typography):
To Mil/Thou:
To Fathom:
To Furlong:
To Link (Gunter's):
To Pace:
To Span:
To Digit:
To Cable Length:
To Ell:
To Finger:
To Roman Mile:
To Stadion:
To Chi (Chinese):
To Shaku (Japanese):
To Li (Chinese):
To Toise:
To Bolt:
To Rope:
To Smoot:
To Sajene:
To Ken:
To Wa:
To Vara:
To Aln:
To Cubit (Royal/Egyptian):
To Versta:
To Arpent:
To Ri (Japanese):
To Klafter:
To Yojana:
To Skein:
Frequently Asked Questions
One meter is about the distance from your nose to your fingertips when you extend your arm straight out to the side. Visual comparisons:
- Slightly longer than a yard (1 m = 1.09 yards)
- About 3.3 feet (one adult stride)
- Length of a guitar (most acoustic guitars)
- Width of a single bed
- Slightly longer than a baseball bat
- Three average-sized rulers (30cm each) Body measurements:
- Most adults can approximate 1 meter with arm span from nose to fingertips
- One large step/stride for most adults
- Height from ground to waist/hip for average adult Common objects exactly 1 meter:
- Meter stick/ruler (by definition)
- Certain guitar models
- Standard yoga mat width (60cm) is just over half a meter To remember: Think of it as "just over 3 feet" or "slightly longer than a yard"
Convert Meter
Need to convert Meter to other length units? Use our conversion tool.