The stere or stère (st) is a unit of volume in the original metric system equal to one cubic metre.
[2] The name was coined from the Greek στερεός stereós, "solid", in 1795 in France as a metric analogue to the cord.
The correspondence between stere and cubic meters of stacked wood is imprecise because it depends on the length of the logs used and on how irregular they are.
If the logs are less than 1 m, the volume of visible wood decreases because the voids are better occupied.
[3] In particular, stere and kilostere are sometimes used in hydrology, as the kilostere (1,000 m3 (35,315 cu ft) or megalitre) is a slightly smaller metric analogue of an acre-foot (approximately 1,233 m3 (43,500 cu ft)), similar to the relationship of the metric tonne to the short ton.