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What is a celsius?

The metric temperature unit used in 195 countries — water freezes at 0 °C

Definition

The Celsius scale defines 0 °C as the freezing point of water and 100 °C as the boiling point at standard atmospheric pressure. Proposed by Anders Celsius in 1742, it is the everyday temperature unit in all countries except the US, Belize, the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands and Liberia.

Common uses

  • Daily weather forecasts worldwide (except US)
  • Cooking temperatures in Europe, Asia, Latin America
  • Body temperature on medical thermometers

🌍 Real-world scale

Room temperature is about 20 °C. Normal body temperature is 37 °C. Typical fridge setting is 4 °C. European winter can reach −20 °C; desert summer 45+ °C.

Convert from degrees Celsius

3 conversions
Celsius to Fahrenheit1 °C = 33.8 °FCelsius to Kelvin1 °C = 274.15 KCelsius to Rankine1 °C = 493.47 °R

Convert to degrees Celsius

3 conversions
Fahrenheit to Celsius1 °F = -17.2222 °CKelvin to Celsius1 K = -272.15 °CRankine to Celsius1 °R = -272.594 °C

Tips

  • 0 °C = freezing; 100 °C = boiling. Easy anchor points.
  • Mental F conversion: double the °C and add 30 (rough). 20 °C → 70 °F (actual 68).
  • Medical thermometers show 0.1 °C resolution — a rise from 37.0 to 37.5 matters.

Common mistakes

  • Using "degrees centigrade" — the scale was renamed Celsius in 1948.
  • Assuming a linear relationship between °C and °F without the +32 offset.
  • Interpreting UK winter forecasts in °F by habit — UK uses °C.

FAQ about the celsius

What is a celsius?
The Celsius scale defines 0 °C as the freezing point of water and 100 °C as the boiling point at standard atmospheric pressure. Proposed by Anders Celsius in 1742, it is the everyday temperature unit in all countries except the US, Belize, the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands and Liberia.
Where is the celsius used?
The celsius is commonly used for: Daily weather forecasts worldwide (except US); Cooking temperatures in Europe, Asia, Latin America; Body temperature on medical thermometers.
What is an example of a celsius in real life?
Room temperature is about 20 °C. Normal body temperature is 37 °C. Typical fridge setting is 4 °C. European winter can reach −20 °C; desert summer 45+ °C.
What category does the celsius belong to?
The celsius is a unit of temperature, part of the 4-unit temperature category on UnitConv.
How accurate are celsius conversions?
All conversion factors follow NIST and BIPM international standards to 8 significant figures — the highest practical accuracy.
Explore all 4 temperature units and their conversions.🌡️ Temperature hub →