MIL
Abbreviation with 5 meanings
| Stands for | Mother-in-law |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 5 |
| Categories | Texting & Internet Slang, Units & Measurements, Law & Legal, Transportation & Travel |
| Also written | mil |
MIL has five meanings. The most common are Mother-in-law (parenting forum) and Mil (thousandth of an inch) (US customary and imperial unit); it can also stand for Million, Motion in limine and Malfunction indicator lamp.
Meanings of MIL at a glance
| # | MIL stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mother-in-law | Texting & Internet Slang › Parenting Forum |
| 2 | Mil (thousandth of an inch) | Units & Measurements › US Customary and Imperial Unit |
| 3 | Million | Units & Measurements › Math |
| 4 | Motion in limine | Law & Legal › Litigation |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | Transportation & Travel › Automotive |
1. Mother-in-law
Texting & Internet Slang · Parenting Forum Abbreviations
The mother of one's spouse, among the most discussed figures on parenting and relationship forums, as in "MIL wants to stay for three weeks after the baby arrives."
Example: MIL keeps buying the baby clothes we specifically asked her not to.
Reddit's r/JUSTNOMIL is devoted to difficult mothers-in-law, and Mumsnet has countless MIL threads. Related codes include FIL, SIL, BIL and PIL. In other contexts "mil" means a thousandth of an inch or a million, and "Mil" can abbreviate military.
2. Mil (thousandth of an inch) (mil)
Units & Measurements · US Customary and Imperial Unit Abbreviations
One thousandth of an inch, 0.0254 millimeter, used in the US for the thickness of plastic sheeting, trash bags, coatings, labels and wire insulation. A 6 mil polyethylene vapor barrier is about 0.15 mm thick.
Example: Lay 6 mil plastic over the gravel before pouring the slab.
British engineers call the same unit a thou. It is easily confused with millimeter, which is about 39 times larger, because in some countries "mil" is slang for millimeter or milliliter. Electrical wire area uses the circular mil, the area of a circle one mil in diameter.
3. Million (mil)
Units & Measurements · Math Abbreviations
Informal clipping of million, common in speech, sports contract coverage and casual writing, as in a "$20 mil" deal or "3 mil views".
Example: He signed a four-year, $80 mil extension with the team.
Edited prose generally avoids it in favor of million or M. In other contexts mil means a thousandth of an inch, the angular mil used by militaries, or, in casual speech, a millimeter or milliliter, so the surrounding number and topic usually reveal the meaning.
4. Motion in limine
Law & Legal · Litigation Abbreviations
Pretrial motion asking the judge to rule in advance on whether particular evidence or argument may be presented to the jury, such as prior convictions, settlement talks or a disputed expert's opinion. Rulings keep prejudicial material from being mentioned before it can be addressed.
Example: Plaintiff's MIL No. 3 seeks to exclude any reference to her prior workers' compensation claim.
From Latin "in limine", "at the threshold". Parties often file numbered sets of MILs shortly before trial. Rulings are frequently provisional, and a party who loses may need to renew its objection at trial to preserve the issue for appeal; Federal Rule of Evidence 103 addresses when a definitive pretrial ruling is enough.
5. Malfunction indicator lamp
Transportation & Travel · Automotive Abbreviations
Official term in emissions regulations and service manuals for the dashboard warning light known to drivers as the check engine light. The MIL must illuminate whenever the on-board diagnostic system detects an emissions-related fault.
Example: Freeze-frame data shows the MIL was commanded on at 62 mph under heavy load.
Federal rules specify that the MIL use a standard symbol or wording such as "Check Engine" or "Service Engine Soon." A vehicle will usually fail an emissions inspection if the MIL is lit. The same letters are also common shorthand for "mother-in-law" in texting and for military.
Related abbreviations
More parenting forum abbreviations
- FTM – First-time mom
- HPT – Home pregnancy test
- LO – Little one
- MC – Miscarriage
- NCT – National Childbirth Trust
- PFB – Precious first born
- PIL – Parents-in-law
- SAHD – Stay-at-home dad
See all 42 parenting forum abbreviations →
More US customary and imperial unit abbreviations
- lb – Pound (avoirdupois)
- lbs – Pounds
- LF – Linear foot
- mi – Mile
- NM – Nautical mile
- oz – Ounce (avoirdupois)
- ozt – Troy ounce
- pk – Peck
See all 43 US customary and imperial unit abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not legal advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.