Word forms: plural litresregional note: in AM, use liter
countable noun [num NOUN]
A litre is a metric unit of volume that is a thousand cubic centimetres. It is equal to 1.76 British pints or 2.11 American pints.
...15 litres of water. [+ of]
This tax would raise petrol prices by about 3.5p per litre.
...a Ford Escort with a 1.9-litre engine.
litre in British English
or US liter (ˈliːtə)
noun
1.
one cubic decimetre
2.
(formerly) the volume occupied by 1 kilogram of pure water at 4°C and 760 millimetres of mercury. This is equivalent to 1.000028 cubic decimetres or about 1.76 pints
Word origin
C19: from French, from Medieval Latin litra, from Greek: a unit of weight
litre in American English
(ˈlitər)
noun
British
liter
Examples of 'litre' in a sentence
litre
Four litres of milk produce only 1 litre of yoghurt, but the naturally thick product sells for a premium.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
That could save half a litre of petrol.
The Sun (2012)
Plastic ones may only hold five litres and metal ones only ten litres.
The Sun (2012)
She had placed what remained of a litre bottle of milk in the boot of the car.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
But it is illegal to have more than ten litres in one container.
The Sun (2012)
For drivers seeking a little more oomph the 1.6 litre engine should have been the solution.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Almost 70 per cent of a litre is tax.
The Sun (2008)
The alternative 3 litre unit is hardly a soft option.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Low mileage drivers may prefer the 3.2 litre petrol.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The 2 litre petrol unit is the cheapest option.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Last time oil was this cheap a litre of petrol cost 90p.
The Sun (2015)
A balloon containing one litre of air at the surface will be compressed to half a litre ten metres under.
Ben Nimmo IN FORKBEARD'S WAKE: Coasting Round Scandinavia (2003)
Add 2 chopped medium potatoes and 1 litre chicken or veg stock.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
It supplies 40,000 litres of milk a day to Tesco.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
With 75 per cent per litre being tax, what utter nonsense.
The Sun (2008)
In 1994 it sold 5m litres of organic milk.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Meanwhile, motorists could be hit with 20p extra tax on a litre of petrol under party proposals to save the environment.
The Sun (2008)
Cars fitted with a 1.6 litre engine will need an engine repair while those with 2.0 litre engines would only need a software fix.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The BMW had a 3.2 litre six cylinder engine.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Its origins are based on a local territorial dispute but that is beside the point: thousands of litres of red wine are sprayed, poured and thrown.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
In other languages
litre
British English: litre /ˈliːtə/ NOUN
A litre is a metric unit of volume. It is equal to approximately 1.76 British pints or 2.11 American pints.