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Kilometre: meaning, definitions and examples

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kilometre

 

[ ˈkɪləmiːtər ]

Noun
Oxford 3000
Context #1 | Noun

unit of measurement

A kilometre is a metric unit of length equal to 1000 meters. It is commonly used to measure distances in many countries around the world.

Synonyms

km.

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Word Description / Examples
kilometre

Primarily used in writing to refer to a unit of measurement equal to 1,000 meters. It is often seen in scientific, official, or formal documents.

  • The race is 10 kilometres long.
  • The distance between the two towns is approximately 15 kilometres.
km

Often used in informal writing, text messages, or places where space is limited, such as maps or signs. It is an abbreviation of 'kilometre'.

  • The closest gas station is 5 km away.
  • The marathon covers a distance of 42 km.

Examples of usage

  • The park is located just a few kilometres away from the city center.
  • She ran 5 kilometres every morning as part of her training routine.

Translations

Translations of the word "kilometre" in other languages:

🇵🇹 quilómetro

🇮🇳 किलोमीटर

🇩🇪 Kilometer

🇮🇩 kilometer

🇺🇦 кілометр

🇵🇱 kilometr

🇯🇵 キロメートル

🇫🇷 kilomètre

🇪🇸 kilómetro

🇹🇷 kilometre

🇰🇷 킬로미터

🇸🇦 كيلومتر

🇨🇿 kilometr

🇸🇰 kilometer

🇨🇳 公里

🇸🇮 kilometer

🇮🇸 kílómetri

🇰🇿 километр

🇬🇪 კილომეტრი

🇦🇿 kilometr

🇲🇽 kilómetro

Etymology

The word 'kilometre' originated from the French word 'kilomètre', which was first used in the late 18th century. The prefix 'kilo-' means 'thousand' in Greek, and 'metre' refers to the unit of length. The kilometre became a standard unit of measurement in the metric system and is widely used worldwide.

See also: centimetre, millimetre.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #20,598, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.