How big is 5 millimeters?

A length of 5 millimeters is equivalent to 0.1969 inches, or slightly less than 1/5 of an inch. A millimeter is a unit equal to 1/1000 of a meter, so 5 millimeters make up 1/200 of a meter.

The word “millimeter” is derived from a similar French word “millimètre.” “Milli” means “thousand” and refers to a unit that is 1/1000 of a “meter,” the metric system's base unit for length. A meter is equivalent to 3.28 feet.

Ten millimeters make up 1 centimeter, or 1/100 of a meter, so 5 millimeters equal 1/2 a centimeter. The British spelling of “millimeter” is “millimetre.”