kilometer

noun

ki·​lo·​me·​ter kə-ˈlä-mə-tər 

ki-;

ˈki-lə-ˌmē-tər 

ˈkē-lə-

: a metric unit of length equal to 1000 meters see Metric System Table

How do you pronounce kilometer?: Usage Guide

In North American speech kilometer is most often pronounced with primary stress on the second syllable. This pronunciation is also heard frequently in British speech. Those who object to second syllable stress say that the first syllable should be stressed in accord with the stress patterns of centimeter, millimeter, etc. However, the pronunciation of kilometer does not parallel that of other metric compounds. From 1828 to 1841 Noah Webster indicated only second syllable stress, and his successor added a first syllable stress variant in the first Merriam-Webster dictionary of 1847. Thus, both pronunciations are venerable. Most scientists use second syllable stress, although first syllable stress seems to occur with a higher rate of frequency among scientists than among nonscientists.

Did you know?

A kilometer is equal to about 62/100 of a mile, and a mile is equal to about 1.61 kilometers. The U.S. has been slow to adopt metric measures, which are used almost everywhere else in the world. Though our car speedometers are often marked in both miles and kilometers, the U.S. and Great Britain are practically the only developed nations that still show miles rather than kilometers on their road signs. But even in the U.S., footraces are usually measured in meters or kilometers, like the Olympic races. Runners normally abbreviate kilometer to K: "a 5K race" (3.1 miles), "the 10K run" (6.2 miles), and so on.

Examples of kilometer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The sarsens came from the West Woods near Marlborough, located about 15 miles (25 kilometers) away, while some of the bluestones originated from the Preseli Hills area in west Wales, and are thought to be the first stones placed at the site. —Ashley Strickland, CNN, 14 Aug. 2024

These waves propagate outward in extremely slow motion, at rates of 15 to 20 kilometers per million years. —Rudy Molinek, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Aug. 2024

Now drive 60 miles (96.5 kilometers) along the Florida Turnpike to Orlando for those appointments. —Mike Schneider, Orlando Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2024

The Mayan Train, which covers 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) through the Yucatan Peninsula and five states, can serve over three million passengers annually. —Nick Kasmik, USA TODAY, 10 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French kilomètre, from kilo- + mètre meter

First Known Use

1810, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

kilometer

noun

ki·​lo·​me·​ter kə-ˈläm-ət-ər  kil-ˈäm- 

ˈkil-ə-ˌmēt-ər

: a metric unit of length equal to 1000 meters see metric system

Medical Definition

kilometer

noun

ki·​lo·​me·​ter

variants or chiefly British kilometre

ˈkil-ə-ˌmēt-ər  kə-ˈläm-ət-ər 

: 1000 meters