The deciliter is a metric unit of volume measurement, equal to one tenth of a liter. It is commonly used in recipes and bars. Other volume units that use the liter as a base include centiliter, milliliter, hectoliter, and kiloliter. It is important to differentiate it from the decalitre, which is equal to 10 liters. Conversion charts and converters are available for those unfamiliar with the metric system.
The deciliter is a unit of volume measurement used in the metric system. It equals one tenth of a liter, or about 3.3 fluid ounces. It should not be confused with the decalitre, which is equal to 10 litres, a substantially different measure of volume. The measurement can show up in a variety of settings, most commonly in recipes from countries that use the metric system and in some bars, where it can be a drink size.
While not officially part of the International System of Units (SI), the litre, deciliter and related measurements are often used in countries that use this system. Under the metric system and the SI system, the basic units of measure are scaled up and down with magnitude modifiers, as seen with the metre, centimeter, millimeter, and so on. Similarly, the liter is used as a base unit for volume measurements, usually with liquids or substances sold by volume in containers, such as berries.
This unit of measure is abbreviated as dl or dL, in contrast to the decalitre, which is written as dal or daL to avoid confusion. Additional units of volume that use the liter as a base include centiliter, milliliter, hectoliter, kiloliter, and more. These prefixes are used throughout the SI system for consistency and are designed to create a standardized and uniform language for talking about measurements.
In many countries, liquids sold by volume will be measured in various liter forms. For example, soft drinks might be sold in deciliter measures, as could things like flavoring syrups. Bars, cafes, restaurants, etc. can also provide the menu items listed this way. For people used to other measurement systems who are travelling, it may be a good idea to bring along a conversion chart to refer to, although some establishments will be happy to show someone the container used for the measurement so they can can get a visual idea of how much it holds.
Converters are available on many websites for people who are not used to measuring in deciliters. People can usually convert between these units and cups, ounces, and other volume units for convenience. This can be a particularly serious problem with recipes, as some countries provide measurements based on volume, while others provide measurements based on weight, and some will mix both values. For example, a recipe may call for liquids in liters and solids in grams.
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