Kilometre

Definition

Kilometre is a noun referring to a unit of length in the metric system, equal to 1,000 meters or approximately 0.621 miles. It is commonly used worldwide for measuring distances.

Parts of Speech

• Noun

Pronunciation

American English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ˈkɪl.əˌmiː.tɚ/ or /kəˈlɑː.mɪ.tɚ/
• Respelling: KIL-uh-mee-tur or kuh-LAH-muh-tur

British English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ˈkɪl.əˌmiː.tə/ or /kɪˈlɒm.ɪ.tə/
• Respelling: KIL-uh-mee-tuh or ki-LOM-i-tuh

Etymology

The word "kilometre" is derived from the French "kilomètre," formed by combining "kilo-" (a prefix meaning 'thousand') from the Greek "khilioi" and "mètre" (meter) from the Greek "metron," meaning "measure." It was adopted into English in the late 18th century.

Derivatives

• Kilometric (adjective)
• Kilometer (alternate spelling, noun)
• Kilometre-scale (adjective)
• Kilometrage (noun)
• Kilometre-wide (adjective)

Synonyms

• Kilometer
• Km
• 1000 meters

Antonyms

• None

Usage

The term "kilometre" is widely used in scientific, transportation, and general contexts to express distance. For example, "The city is 50 kilometres away," or "The marathon covers a distance of 42.195 kilometres."

Related Terms

• Meter: The base unit of length in the metric system.
• Mile: A unit of length commonly used in the US and UK, equal to approximately 1.609 kilometres.
• Centimetre: A unit of length equal to one-hundredth of a meter.

Detailed Definitions

Noun

• A unit of length equal to 1,000 meters: Refers to the standard metric measurement for longer distances.
  • Example: "The highway stretches for 100 kilometres."
• A measure of distance in travel or transportation: Used to calculate the length between two points.
  • Example: "They hiked 20 kilometres through the forest."