What does centigram mean?
A centigram is a metric unit of mass equal to one hundredth of a gram, or equivalently ten milligrams. Formed from the Latin-derived prefix centi- ('hundredth') combined with gram, it belongs to the standard International System family of decimal mass units alongside the milligram, decigram, and kilogram. In practice the centigram is uncommon: scientists, pharmacists, and clinicians overwhelmingly prefer the smaller milligram when measuring tiny quantities, so the centigram appears mainly in textbooks, classroom conversion exercises, laboratory documentation, and older technical literature. It is always written as a noun, typically abbreviated cg, and its plural is centigrams. Though rarely encountered outside formal measurement contexts, the word is useful for understanding how the metric system's prefixes work, since each prefix simply scales the base unit by a fixed power of ten. Knowing that a centigram sits between the milligram and the decigram helps readers interpret precise measurements and appreciate the elegant regularity of metric nomenclature.
nounA metric unit of mass equal to one hundredth of a gram, or 10 milligrams.
- A unit of mass equal to one hundredth of a gram (0.01 g).
"The pharmacist measured the active ingredient to the nearest centigram."
"The lab report listed the contaminant at two centigrams per liter."
"Students practiced converting grams into centigrams during the metrics lesson."
Regular plural; the singular is used with the indefinite article or numerals, and the abbreviation cg is invariable.
"The balance can detect differences of just a few centigrams."
The centigram is the metric middle child everyone forgets: ten times bigger than a milligram, ten times smaller than a decigram, yet almost nobody ever uses it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of centigram
Centigram was coined in France around the time of the metric system's adoption in the late eighteenth century, combining the French prefix centi-, from Latin centum meaning 'hundred', with gram, itself derived from the Greek gramma, 'a small weight'. The word entered English in the early nineteenth century as the metric system spread internationally. It shares its roots with sibling units such as centimeter and centiliter, all built on the same Latin numeral.
Related word forms
How centigram is actually used
Centigram is a formal, technical term used mainly in scientific, medical, and educational contexts. In everyday practice it is rare — most measurements of this scale are expressed in milligrams instead, making centigram largely confined to textbooks and metrology.
Easily confused with centigram
A milligram is one thousandth of a gram, whereas a centigram is one hundredth of a gram — a centigram equals ten milligrams.