While most of the rest of the world uses the metric system (formally known as the International System of Units, or SI), the United States uses the U.S. Customary System, which—fun fact—is ...

And neither has the country’s educational system. “I would say that the United States of America is at least 40 percent metric, perhaps even a little over 50 percent metric in practical terms ...

The 20 recognized metric prefixes have been specified by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) for the International System of Units (SI), and ... from either Latin or Greek terms.

In other words, the French introduced not only national standards, but a system of standards. It survives today as the metric system.