milligram

IPA/ˈmɪliɡræm/
KK[mˈɪləɡrˌæm]IPA/ˈmɪliɡræm/

milligram — noun

  • milligramsingular
  • milligramsplural

1. a metric unit for measuring small amounts of weight; 1000 milligrams together we

1.nounB1
Definition

a metric unit for measuring small amounts of weight; 1000 milligrams together weigh the same as 1 gram, so one milligram is an extremely tiny amount.

Example

The doctor told Fatima to take 500 milligrams of the medicine every morning.

[number] + milligrams + of + [substance]

A single grain of salt weighs about 0.5 milligrams.

used with decimal numbers for very small amounts

Common collocations
  • milligrams of [substance]
  • [number] milligrams
  • per milligram
  • milligram dose

Grammar Patterns

[number] + milligram(s) + of + [substance]

[number]-milligram + [noun]

Usage Note

Abbreviated as mg (no period). This unit is very common on medicine labels, nutrition facts panels, and in laboratory work. Be careful not to confuse mg (milligram) with g (gram) — one gram equals 1000 milligrams.

Common Mistakes

Take 500 grams of this medicine every day.
Take 500 milligrams of this medicine every day.
A gram is 1000 times larger than a milligram; medicine doses are almost always in milligrams.

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • milligrams per kilogram
  • milligrams per day
  • mg per serving

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinGreekFrenchEnglish

Milligram comes from French milligramme, which was created in the late 1700s when France developed the metric system. The word combines mille (Latin for 'one thousand') with gramme (from Greek gramma, meaning 'a small weight'). So milligram literally means 'one-thousandth of a gram.'

First known use

1797

1797, in the meaning defined above