A meter is the base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). It is exactly defined as the length of the path traveled by light in vacuum during a time interval of 1/299,792,458 of a second. In more everyday terms, a meter equals 100 centimeters or 1,000 millimeters. It is approximately equal to 3.28 feet or about 39.37 inches. To visualize, common objects about 1 meter long include a guitar, a baseball bat, or a golf club. An average adult step length is roughly 1 meter as well. Here are some common conversions:

• 1 meter = 100 centimeters
• 1 meter = 1,000 millimeters
• 1 meter ≈ 3.28 feet
• 1 meter ≈ 39.37 inches
• 1 meter ≈ 1.094 yards

This modern definition and unit size has been internationally standardized since 1983 and slightly refined in 2019 to relate the meter to the speed of light and the definition of the second, ensuring precise and universal measurement.