What is the abbreviation for centimeter?

The abbreviation for centimeter is "cm." This comes from the Latin word "centi," which means one hundredth, and "meter," the base unit of length in the metric system. Therefore, a centimeter is one hundredth of a meter. This specific abbreviation is universally recognized and used in scientific and medical contexts to measure length or distance in a more precise manner compared to using meters alone.

The other options represent different measurements: "ft" stands for feet, which is a unit of measurement used primarily in the United States; "mg" refers to milligrams, a unit of mass; and "ml" stands for milliliters, a unit of volume. Each of these abbreviations relates to different types of measurements and does not pertain to length, making the abbreviation for centimeter stand out as "cm."