Units of measurement for volume or liquid capacity in the metric system (British spelling); equal to about 1.06 quarts.
From French 'litre', derived from the Greek 'litra' (a unit of weight). The metric system adopted it as a volume measurement, and it became standard worldwide except in the USA.
The metric system was created during the French Revolution specifically to replace all the chaotic local measurements—getting everyone to use liters instead of barrels was actually a radical act of standardization that enabled global trade.
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