kilometer

kilometer — noun

1. A unit for measuring length in the metric system, equal to 1,000 meters (about 0

1.nounA2
Definition

A unit for measuring length in the metric system, equal to 1,000 meters (about 0.62 miles). It is used on road signs, in sports, for geographic distances, and as a countable span such as a specific segment of a journey or a visibility range.

Example

The nearest hospital is about three kilometers from our village.

countable noun: three kilometers from [place]

Christopher drove at 110 kilometers per hour on the empty highway.

collocation: kilometers per hour (km/h) for speed

Common collocations
  • kilometers per hour
  • kilometers from
  • within ... kilometers of
  • every few kilometers
  • per kilometer
  • the last kilometer
  • the first kilometer
  • half a kilometer
  • a kilometer away
  • a ...-kilometer run/walk/drive

Usage Note

Often abbreviated as km in writing. When the focus is on a specific segment of a journey (e.g., 'the last kilometer', 'the first kilometer'), the word works as a countable span. It also appears in compound nouns: 'a 10-kilometer run', 'a five-kilometer walk.' In English-speaking countries that use the imperial system (US, UK), road signs may still show miles; however, many scientific and athletic contexts worldwide use kilometers regardless of local customs.

Common Mistakes

The store is two kilos from my house.
The store is two kilometers from my house.
'kilo' alone means kilogram (weight), not kilometer (distance).
She ran five mile in the race.' (when the race is metric)
She ran five kilometers in the race.
Do not confuse miles with kilometers; 1 mile ≈ 1.6 kilometers.

Word family

  • kilometric
    adjectiveC1
  • kilometerage
    nounC2
  • kilometre
    nounA2
  • millimeter
    nounB1
  • centimeter
    nounA2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A kilometer and a mile both measure distance, but they belong to different systems and differ significantly in length. One kilometer equals 1,000 meters (about 0.62 miles), while one mile equals 1,609 meters (about 1.61 kilometers). The kilometer is the standard unit in nearly every country except the United States, the United Kingdom, and a few others that still use miles on road signs. In running and athletics, kilometer-based races (5K, 10K) are common worldwide, whereas miles are more typical in US track events. When giving directions or estimating travel time, the choice of unit tells your listener which measurement system you are using.

mile ↗kilometer ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • kilometers per hour
  • kilometers per liter
  • per kilometer
  • square kilometers
  • cubic kilometers

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekFrenchEnglish

The word 'kilometer' was formed in French in the late 1700s from two parts: the Greek prefix 'khilioi-' meaning 'thousand' and the French 'mètre' (meter), which itself came from Greek 'metron' meaning 'measure'. It entered English around the early 1800s as the metric system spread through Europe.