cup (US) Unit Converter

Definition of cup (US) unit

The US customary cup is a unit of volume equal to 8 US fluid ounces, or approximately 236.588 milliliters. In cooking, it commonly measures liquid and dry ingredients, although actual filled weight varies according to the ingredient’s density.

History of cup (US) unit

The US cup developed from customary household measures used in American kitchens during the nineteenth century. It was related to the traditional wineglass, gill, pint, and quart, with four cups conventionally making one quart. Unlike the metric cup, standardized at 250 milliliters in many countries, the US customary cup became fixed at 8 US fluid ounces, or one-half pint. Cookbooks and manufacturers gradually popularized this practical subdivision, while nutritional labeling and measurement standards later reinforced its approximate metric equivalent of 236.6 milliliters.

Applications of cup (US) unit

Today, the US cup is common in American recipes for measuring flour, sugar, liquids, grains, and other ingredients. Measuring cups may be designed for dry ingredients or liquid volumes, so techniques differ. The unit also appears on nutrition labels, beverage recipes, food packaging, and conversion charts, where it is usually treated as 236.6 milliliters.

Complete list of cup (US) unit conversion