mile

noun

ˈmī(-ə)l 

1

: any of various units of distance: such as

a

: a unit equal to 5280 feet see Weights and Measures Table

b

: nautical mile

2

: a race of a mile

3

: a relatively great distance, degree, or interval

—usually plural

was miles ahead of them in education

—sometimes used adverbially

This one is miles [=much, far] better than that one.

Phrases

a mile a minute

: with great speed

talking a mile a minute

Synonyms

• afar
• country mile
• far cry
• long haul

Examples of mile in a Sentence

We passed mile after mile of beautiful scenery as we drove through the country.

We traveled over miles of dirt road.

The car was traveling at 70 miles per hour.

We were miles from home.

We still have miles to go.

The beach stretched on for miles and miles.

Recent Examples on the Web

When paired with the $7,500 federal tax credit, the base front-wheel-drive model delivers 319 miles of driving range for under $30,000. —Peter Douglas, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024

The trail to the resort site is along a mostly flat shelf that borders the southern shore of Twin Lakes, 22 miles from town. —James Dziezynski, Outside Online, 10 Nov. 2024

Given this linear trend, October has seen the loss of 1.38 million square miles of sea ice since 1979 — an area roughly equal to five times the size of Texas. —Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2024

These routes, according the flight-tracking website Flightradar24, can span upwards of 9,000 miles. —Melvin Backman, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English mīl, from Latin milia miles, from milia passuum, literally, thousands of paces, from milia, plural of mille thousand

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing mile

• air mile
• country mile
• go the extra mile
• last mile
• mile high club
• nautical mile
• pound mile
• sea mile
• stand/stick out a mile
• statute mile
• three-mile limit

Kids Definition

mile

noun

ˈmī(ə)l 

1

: a unit of measure equal to 5280 feet (about 1609 meters)

called also statute mile

see measure

2

: nautical mile