There are several different units that are used to measure liquid volumes. Two of the most common units are milliliters (mL) and pints. Knowing how to convert between these units is useful for cooking, mixing drinks, medicine dosages, and more. So how many milliliters fit in a pint? Let’s take a closer look.
Quick Answer
There are 473 milliliters (mL) in 1 pint.
Exploring Milliliters and Pints in More Detail
The milliliter (mL) and pint are both units of volume that are used to measure liquid amounts. However, they are different sizes and are used in different systems of measurement.
What is a Milliliter?
A milliliter is a metric unit of volume equal to 1/1000 of a liter. The milliliter is commonly used for measuring small amounts of liquids in science, medicine, and cooking.
Some examples of milliliter volumes include:
- 5 mL in a teaspoon
- 15 mL in a tablespoon
- 30 mL in 1 fluid ounce
- 240 mL in an 8 ounce glass
Milliliters allow for precise measurement of liquids in small amounts. The milliliter is part of the metric system which uses prefixes like centi-, deci-, and milli- to represent divisions of larger base units.
What is a Pint?
A pint is a customary unit of volume used in the United States and United Kingdom. There are several types of pints:
- A US liquid pint is equal to 16 US fluid ounces
- A British imperial pint is equal to 20 imperial fluid ounces
- A US dry pint is equal to 33.6 US fluid ounces (used for measuring dry goods)
For our purposes, we will focus on the US liquid pint, which is a common volume for drinking milk, beer, water, and other beverages. Some examples of pint volumes include:
- 16 ounces in a pint of milk
- A pint of beer
- Half a quart
- 1 pound of water
So while metric units like mL are used for more precise measurement, pints are commonly used in cooking recipes and for beverage serving sizes in the United States.
Converting Between Milliliters and Pints
Now that we understand the size of milliliters and pints, how can we convert between the two units?
There are a few simple steps:
- Remember there are 473 mL in 1 US liquid pint.
- To convert pints to milliliters, multiply the number of pints by 473.
- To convert milliliters to pints, divide the number of mL by 473.
Let’s look at some examples:
Pints to Milliliters Conversion
- 1 pint x 473 mL/pint = 473 mL
- 2 pints x 473 mL/pint = 946 mL
- 4 pints x 473 mL/pint = 1892 mL
Milliliters to Pints Conversion
- 946 mL / 473 mL/pint = 2 pints
- 1892 mL / 473 mL/pint = 4 pints
- 473 mL / 473 mL/pint = 1 pint
So for any number of pints or milliliters, you simply multiply or divide by 473 to convert between the units.
Converting Pints to Liters and Vice Versa
Since liters are another common metric unit for measuring liquids, it’s useful to know how to convert between pints and liters as well:
- 1 US liquid pint = 0.473 liters
- 1 liter = 2.113 US liquid pints
To convert:
- Pints to liters: multiply pints by 0.473
- Liters to pints: multiply liters by 2.113
Examples:
- 2 pints x 0.473 = 0.946 liters
- 1 liter x 2.113 = 2.113 pints
So if you ever need to convert between pints and liters for cooking or measurements, you can use these quick conversions.
Comparing Milliliter, Pint, and Fluid Ounce Volumes
To help understand the relative sizes of milliliters, pints, and fluid ounces, here is a table comparing some common volumes:
| Unit | 1 milliliter | 1 fluid ounce | 1 pint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milliliters (mL) | 1 mL | 30 mL | 473 mL |
| Fluid ounces (fl oz) | 0.034 fl oz | 1 fl oz | 16 fl oz |
| Pints (pt) | 0.002 pt | 0.0625 pt | 1 pt |
As you can see, a milliliter is very small compared to a fluid ounce or pint. There are 30 milliliters in a single fluid ounce. And it takes a considerable 473 milliliters to make up a full pint.
So the next time you come across a recipe or measurement requiring unit conversions, you can use this table for reference on the relative liquid volumes.
Applications and Examples
Now that we’ve fully explored how many milliliters are in a pint, let’s look at some practical examples and applications using pint and milliliter conversions:
Cooking and Baking
In cooking and baking recipes, it’s very common to see ingredient amounts called for in cups, fluid ounces, pints, quarts, liters, and milliliters. Being able to convert between these units is helpful for accurately measuring out ingredients.
For example, if a bread recipe calls for 2 pints of milk, you can easily measure that out as 946 mL instead of having to estimate pints. Or if you only have a milliliter measuring spoon, you can use the conversions to measure out pint or cup amounts.
Nutritional Information
Nutrition labels on food and beverages will often list serving sizes in both metric and customary units. For a bottle of juice, a common serving size is 8 fluid ounces (240 mL). Using pint and milliliter conversions allows you to compare serving sizes and nutrition information between different products more easily.
Mixing Drinks
Certain cocktails and drink recipes will specify ounces or dashes of each ingredient. But you may only have milliliter jiggers or measuring tools when mixing drinks at home. Converting between milliliters and fluid ounces lets you adapt drink recipes and still measure out the proper proportions of ingredients.
Dosage Amounts
In medicine, dosages are often measured in milliliters or liters for liquids. Being able to convert prescription dosages to teaspoons or ounces can make it easier for patients to measure out the proper amounts at home. So conversions between pints, fluid ounces, milliliters, and liters are very useful in the medical field.
Unit Price Comparisons
At the grocery store, unit pricing is usually displayed in $/oz or $/lb. But products may be sold by the liter, pint, or fluid ounce. Converting to a consistent unit allows you to easily compare the relative unit prices between products sold in different volume units.
Fun Facts
Beyond the many practical uses, there are some interesting historical and fun facts related to pints and milliliters worth mentioning:
- A US liquid pint was originally defined as the volume of one pound of water. This volume was later precisely measured as 16 fluid ounces.
- Old-style British pint glasses had crowns marked on the bottom so bartenders could ensure they were filled to 20 fluid ounces.
- The milliliter was officially adopted as a standard metric unit of volume at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures in 1879.
- There are approximately 33.814 fluid ounces in the dry pint still used today in the United States.
- In 1824, the British Imperial gallon of 277.42 cubic inches was adopted, standardizing the imperial pint at 20 imperial fluid ounces.
Conclusion
To summarize, there are 473 milliliters in a US liquid pint. Knowing the basic conversions between pints, fluid ounces, milliliters, and liters allows you to measure volumes accurately for cooking, baking, mixing drinks, medicine dosages, and more. Having a solid understanding of liquid volume units provides flexibility whether you are following a recipe, converting a measurement, or comparing product sizes. So the next time you need to know how many mL are in a pint, you’ll have the conversion at your fingertips.
