A centipoise is a unit of measurement used to express the viscosity of a fluid. Viscosity refers to a fluid's resistance to flow; the higher the viscosity, the thicker the fluid. One centipoise is equal to one-hundredth of a poise, which is the standard unit of viscosity in the centimeter-gram-second (CGS) system. Water has a viscosity of about 1 centipoise at room temperature, making it a common reference point. Other fluids, like honey or oil, have higher centipoise values, indicating they are thicker and flow less easily. Understanding centipoise is important in fields like engineering, food science, and medicine.