half a meter

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "half a meter" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when specifying a measurement, particularly in contexts related to distance or length. Example: "The table is half a meter long, making it perfect for small spaces."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

We were digging schützengräben -- trenches 5 meters wide at the top and gradually narrowing until at the bottom, 5 feet down, they were only half a meter wide.

The New York Times

Each column is planted with a hornbeam sapling, which grows about half a meter a year, the overarching top branches curving toward one another to create three Gothic naves, now around 12 meters high, covering over 1,200 square meters, or about 12,900 square foot, of meadow.

The New York Times - Arts

Half a meter or so up, the grains switch back to coarse, and the pattern repeats.

Science Magazine

Caccia reckons it could, though he says it would need to have half a meter to a meter wingspan.

TechCrunch

This time, they looked for oil throughout the tidal zone, checking for it both on the shore's surface and in pits dug half a meter deep.

Science Magazine

Zigzagging across the savanna of northeastern Bolivia are mysterious dirt embankments half a meter high, a meter wide, and up to 3.5 kilometers long.

Science Magazine

But to pick up the radio signals, PIT tag detectors must be within about a half a meter of the tags.

Science Magazine

For carbonated brine flowing up a fault at half a meter per day, with 5% exsolved gas, the water relative permeability is estimated to be 0.6∼0.8 for various sandstones.

Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering

The system is still in experiment stage, but Sony says it's already capable of sending 60W of electricity to a 22-inch LCD TV that's about half a meter away.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

The ghetto had 240 houses spread across 23 streets, in which each of the approximately 18-20,000 Jewish residents had half a square meter to themselves.

Huffington Post

According to Ou Virak of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, Sonando was then imprisoned in a cell shared with 17 other people, leaving him "half a square meter [5 square feet] to sleep in".

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In scientific or technical writing, prefer the notation "0.5 m" for conciseness and precision.

Common error

Avoid mixing metric and imperial units within the same context without clear conversion. Choose one system and stick to it for consistency.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "half a meter" functions primarily as a quantifier specifying a particular length or distance. It is used to provide a concrete measurement. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

35%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "half a meter" is a standard unit of measurement frequently used across diverse contexts, including science, news, and general writing. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. It equates to 50 centimeters or approximately 1.64 feet, making it essential to maintain consistent unit usage to avoid confusion. When writing for international audiences, providing both metric and imperial units enhances clarity. While generally neutral, the term takes on a more formal tone in scientific or technical contexts, where using "0.5 m" is also acceptable.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fifty centimeters

Expresses the same measurement using the metric system in a different unit.

zero point five meters

Provides a more technical or precise way to express the measurement.

approximately 500 millimeters

Utilizes millimeters as an alternative unit, specifying an approximate value.

about 1.64 feet

Converts the measurement to the imperial system equivalent.

roughly 19.7 inches

Provides the approximate measurement in inches, another unit in the imperial system.

a measurement of 0.5 m

Formalizes the phrase as a measurement specification.

a distance of half a meter

Specifies that the measurement refers to a distance.

a length of fifty cm

Clearly states that the measurement is a length and provides it in centimeters.

a span of half a meter

Conveys a range or extent of half a meter.

around half a meter

Indicates an approximation of the given measurement.

FAQs

How do you convert "half a meter" into other units?

"Half a meter" is equivalent to 50 centimeters, approximately 1.64 feet, or roughly 19.7 inches. These conversions can be useful for different audiences or contexts.

Is it better to say "half a meter" or "0.5 meters"?

Both are correct, but "0.5 meters" is often preferred in scientific or technical contexts for its precision and conciseness. "Half a meter" is more common in general writing.

What are some situations where you might use the phrase "half a meter"?

You might use "half a meter" when describing the size of an object, the distance between two points, or specifying a required clearance. Examples: "The shelf is "half a meter" wide", or "Maintain at least "half a meter" of space around the equipment".

What's an easier way to visualize "half a meter"?

"Half a meter" is approximately the length of a large ruler or about the height of a small dog. This can help provide a more intuitive sense of the measurement.