One thousandth of a liter; equivalent to one cubic centimeter (cm³).
Liter (L)
The metric unit of volume equal to 1,000 mL or 1 cubic decimeter.
Fluid Ounce (fl oz)
A US fluid ounce is 29.57 mL; an Imperial fluid ounce is 28.41 mL.
Cup
A US cup is 236.6 mL (8 fl oz). An Australian/Canadian metric cup is 250 mL.
Gallon
A US gallon is 3.785 L. An Imperial gallon is 4.546 L. They are not interchangeable.
Real-World Examples
Example 1
Water Bottle
500 mL
16.91 fl oz — standard single-serve water bottle
Example 2
Fuel Tank
15 US gallons
56.78 liters — typical midsize sedan fuel tank capacity
Example 3
Recipe Scaling
2 cups of milk
473.18 mL — or approximately half a liter
Volume Unit Equivalents
Unit
Milliliters
Liters
US fl oz
1 teaspoon
4.93
0.00493
0.167
1 cup (US)
236.6
0.2366
8
1 pint (US)
473.2
0.4732
16
1 quart (US)
946.4
0.9464
32
1 gallon (US)
3,785.4
3.7854
128
Navigating Volume Measurements in Cooking and Science
US vs. Imperial Volume Units
Although both systems use terms like pint, quart, and gallon, the actual volumes differ. A US pint is 473 mL, while an Imperial pint is 568 mL. A US gallon is 3.785 L, whereas an Imperial gallon is 4.546 L. Recipes from the UK may yield different results if US measures are used without conversion.
Metric Simplicity in the Kitchen
In metric baking, ingredients are measured by weight (grams) rather than volume (cups), producing more consistent results because volume varies with how tightly an ingredient is packed. Professional kitchens worldwide have largely adopted metric weight measurements, though home cooks in the US still rely heavily on cups and tablespoons.
When Precision Matters Most
For everyday cooking, rounding tablespoons to 15 mL is fine. But in pharmaceutical, scientific, or industrial contexts, exact values matter. A cubic meter holds exactly 1,000 liters — a fact critical for calculating concrete volumes, water bills, or fuel storage.