Ligne | |
---|---|
Unit system | French |
Unit of | length |
Conversions | |
1 ligne in ... | ... is equal to ... |
French units | 12 Truchet point 1/12 pouce |
metric (SI) units | 2.2558 mm |
imperial/US units | 0.08881 in |
The ligne (pronounced [liɲ] ), or line or Paris line,[1] is a historic unit of length used in France and elsewhere prior to the adoption of the metric system in the late 18th century, and used in various sciences after that time.[2][3] The loi du 19 frimaire an VIII (Law of 10 December 1799) states that one metre is equal to exactly 443.296 French lines.[4]
It is vestigially retained today by French and Swiss watchmakers to measure the size of watch casings,[5][a] in button making and in ribbon manufacture.
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