A decilitre is a metric unit of volume equal to 100 millilitres — one tenth of a litre — abbreviated dl. It sits between the centilitre and the litre in the metric ladder and survives mainly in European food and drink practice: recipes, nutrition labels, and beverage measures in Scandinavia and parts of continental Europe routinely quote volumes in decilitres, where a British or American cook would use millilitres or fluid ounces. The unit is handy for the quantities cooks actually handle — a decilitre of cream, two of stock — keeping the numbers small and round. Like all metric volume units it ties neatly to mass for water-based liquids, so a decilitre of water weighs 100 grams. It is one of the quieter survivors of the metric system, kept alive by habit and convenience rather than science.