Definition:Imperial/Length/Inch

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Definition

The inch is an imperial and FPS unit of length.


Conversion Factors

\(\ds \) \(\) \(\ds 1\) inch
\(\ds \) \(=\) \(\ds \dfrac 1 {12}\) foot
\(\ds \) \(=\) \(\ds 2 \cdotp 54\) centimetres \(\quad\) (exact)
\(\ds \) \(=\) \(\ds 0 \cdotp 0254\) metres \(\quad\) (exact)


Symbol

$\mathrm {in}$

The symbol for the inch is $\mathrm {in}$.


Its $\LaTeX$ code is \mathrm {in} .


Linguistic Note

The word inch derives ultimately from the same root as ounce, that is, from the Latin word uncia, meaning $\dfrac 1 {12}$ part.

In this context, the inch is of course the $\dfrac 1 {12}$ part of a foot.

From the same root, the uncial letters of a mediaeval manuscript are letters which are an inch high.


Despite the gradual migration to the metric system, the word inch still lives on as a rhetorical flourish for a small distance, for example:

Slowly and steadily they inched forward ...
Give him an inch and he'll take a mile.


Sources