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Kilometer Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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kilometer

kilo-me-ter

🇺🇸 /ˈkɪɫəˌmitɝ/ · 🇬🇧 /kɪlˈɒmɪtɐ/

Definition

Context #1 | Noun

measurement unit

A kilometer is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to 1,000 meters. It is commonly used to measure distances, especially in countries that utilize the metric system for road signs and maps. The kilometer is easily convertible to miles, where one kilometer is approximately 0.621371 miles. This unit is widely used internationally for scientific and geographical contexts, promoting standardization in measurement.

Synonyms

kilometre, km.

Examples of usage

  • The city is about ten kilometers away.
  • We ran five kilometers this morning.
  • The marathon is 42 kilometers long.
  • The hiking trail spans over twenty kilometers.

Translations

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Quick facts about “kilometer”

Kilometer is a 3-syllable noun (kilo-me-ter). It is pronounced /ˈkɪɫəˌmitɝ/ in American English and /kɪlˈɒmɪtɐ/ in British English. On finesentence.com it has 1 meaning, 2 synonyms, and translations into 21 languages. It ranks #18,007 among the most common English words.

Origin of 'kilometer'

The word 'kilometer' is derived from the French word 'kilomètre', which itself is a combination of the Greek word 'khilioi' meaning 'thousand' and the French word 'mètre', derived from the Greek word 'metron' meaning 'measure'. The term started gaining popularity in the early 19th century when the metric system was being adopted in various countries, promoting consistency in measurements. The establishment of the metric system under the French Revolution in the late 18th century led to the transformation of various units to a decimal-based system. As a result, the kilometer became an essential unit for measuring longer distances and has been consistently used across the globe, particularly in science, education, and modern transportation.

Rhymes

Kilometer rhymes with millimeter and millimetre.

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Word Frequency Rank

With rank #18,007, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.