hecto-

{{Short description|Prefix denoting a factor of 100}}

{{Wiktionary|hecto-}}

Hecto (symbol: h) is a decimal unit prefix in the metric system denoting a factor of one hundred. It was adopted as a multiplier in 1795, and comes from the Greek {{lang|grc|ἑκατόν}} {{lang|grc-Latn|hekatón}}, meaning "hundred". In 19th century English it was sometimes spelled "hecato", in line with a puristic opinion by Thomas Young.{{cite book|title=The Edinburgh Encyclopaedia|first=David|last=Brewster|volume=12|edition=1st American|date=1832|publisher=Joseph and Edward Parker|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=17RGAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA572|access-date=2015-10-09}}{{cite book|title=Polytechnisches Journal|first=Johann Gottfried|last=Dingler|volume=11|date=1823|publisher=J.W. Gotta'schen Buchhandlung|language=de|location=Stuttgart, Germany|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wF3zAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA500|access-date=2015-10-09}} Its unit symbol as an SI prefix in the International System of Units (SI) is the lower case letter h.

The prefix is rarely used in general, but has certain specific applications:

• hectopascal (hPa), in meteorology, for atmospheric pressure, the modern equivalent of the traditional millibar.
• hectolitre (hl or hL), in agriculture, for liquids (notably milk and alcoholic beverages) and bulk commodities (e.g., grain).
• hectogram (hg), in agronomy, for quantities of animal feed (hectogram/animal) and for measures of agricultural productivity (hectogram/hectare); also used in Italy abbreviated as {{lang|it|etto}}, and in Canada, New Zealand and Sweden simply as 100 g, for retail sale of cold cuts and meat.
• hectometre (hm), in radio astronomy, occasionally used to indicate a radio band by wavelength
• In surveying, a square hectometre is called a hectare (ha, or 100 ares = 1 hm² = 10,000 m²).

{{SI prefixes (infobox)}}