Meaning & use
mil
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Meaning
nouncountabletechnicalspecialist
A unit of length equal to one thousandth of an inch, used for thickness.
Grammar: Often appears with a number as in 6 mil; plural mils is possible when counting units.
Patterns
- 6 mil
- mil thickness
- measure in mils
The greenhouse plastic is 6 mil thick to resist wind.
Technicians measure the coating in mils to ensure even coverage.
Word forms
| plural | mils |
|---|
Common combinations
- 6 mil plastic
- We covered the seedlings with 6 mil plastic overnight.
- mil thickness
- The label lists the mil thickness of the wire insulation.
- measure in mils
- The inspector prefers to measure paint thickness in mils.
Synonyms and how they differ
- thousandth
- A general fraction; mil specifies one thousandth of an inch in thickness work.
- gauge
- A related thickness scale, but gauge numbers do not always rise with thickness, so it is not a simple synonym.
Commonly confused: mil or mill? mil or milli-?
mil vs mill
A mill is a building or machine that grinds, crushes, or manufactures; mil is a tiny unit of thickness.
mil vs milli-
Milli- is a metric prefix meaning one thousandth, while mil is a separate non-metric unit of one thousandth of an inch.
Practice
The protective film is only 2 ___ thick.
Choose one answer.
After a number, mil is the unit for thickness. Mill names a factory or grinder, milli- is a prefix, and mile is a much larger distance unit.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “mil”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.