The words liter or litre and litter are close in spelling and pronunciation and are often confused. We will examine the definitions of the words litter and liter or litre, the situations in which spelling should be used, the of these words and some examples of their use in sentences.
A liter or litre is a unit of measurement that is equal to one thousand cubic centimeters. A liter is a unit of volume, part of the metric system which has evolved into the International System of Units or SI Units. Most English-speaking countries as well as non-English-speaking countries use this metric system of measurement. Units of measure used in the International System of Units include the kilogram gram, centigram, milligram, microgram, the kilometer, meter, centimeter, millimeter, micrometer, and the kiloliter, liter, centiliter, milliliter, microliter or kilolitre, litre, centilitre, millilitre, microlitre. . Equivalent units of measure in the United States are the pound, the foot and the gallon. One liter is equivalent to 2.11 pints, or slightly more than a quart. There are many online calculators that will convert measurements. The liter is a liquid measure, and is used to quantify anything from a tank of gasoline or petrol to a beverage, such as carbonated waters, distilled water, etc. Lately, people have been switching from soda to bottled water in great numbers, in an effort to become healthier. This is not any healthier for the planet, however. People consume vast quantities of beverages that are stored in plastic bottles, whether a soda bottle or an imported water bottle. These end up in landfills. The word liter is derived from the French word litron, which is an archaic measurement for grain. Liter is the preferred spelling in the United States, the preferred spelling in British English is litre. The plural forms are liters or litres, the accepted abbreviation is L, capitalized and without a period.
Litter is another word for trash, refuse or garbage that is thrown on the ground instead of into a waste receptacle. Common litter or rubbish should be deposited into a receptacle where it may be removed to a dump or landfill. Someone who tosses trash onto the ground is called a litterbug. The word litter may also be used to mean the substance used in a cat litter box or kitty litter box. A litter box is a container in which a trained cat will deposit his urine and feces. The litter is made to absorb the odor from the ammonia in the cat’s urine. Litter is usually made up of clay, with the addition of various chemicals. The word litter may also refer to the group of young an animal may give birth to all at once, as in a litter of kittens. Litter may also mean a carpet of decomposing leaves. Finally, litter may mean a reclining bed upon which someone is carried by a group of people. This sort of transport was common in ancient times. Today, such a litter is reserved for transporting sick or injured people. The word litter may be used as a noun or a verb, related words are litters, littered, littering. The word litter is derived from the Latin lectus, which means bed.
Examples
The Sept. 1 deadline is the fast approaching for owners of affected Volkswagen and Audi 2.0-liter diesel vehicles to file claims in the class-action settlement. (Consumer Reports Magazine)
At least two trains carrying about 1.5 million liters (400,000 gallons) of water moved to the flooded areas from the neighboring states of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra on Sunday, Indian railway official Milind Deouskar said, according to the Press Trust of India news agency. (The Tampa Bay Times)
The 2015 pipeline leak at Long Lake resulted in a spill of about five million litres of bitumen, sand and produced water affecting an area of about 16,000 square metres. (The Journal of Commerce)
The last weeks and particularly over the spell of good weather coinciding with school holidays have seen increasing concern with pollution and litter at beauty spots around the country such as the Wild Atlantic Way. (The Irish Times)
One of the more serious and frequent topics involving cats is their urinating or defecating outside their litter box, a notable issue grouped with other types of elimination disorders in cats. (The Quad-City Times)