furlong
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of furlong
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English furlang “length of a furrow”; see origin at furrow, long 1
Explanation
A furlong is a unit of measurement that's equal to 220 yards. It takes eight furlongs to make a mile. These days, the measurement is mainly used to mark distances in horse racing. Furlongs were once a common way to measure farmland, with one furlong being the length of a furrow in a 10-acre field. This use dates back to Anglo Saxon times. Furlongs still appear on highway signs in Myanmar. Some modern cities, including Chicago and parts of Salt Lake City, have 800 address units for every mile, making each city block a furlong in length.
Vocabulary lists containing furlong
The Tempest
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2015 Spelling Bee - Words from Round 2
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Tolkien Reading Day, List 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
An error from Tadhg Furlong enabled Edinburgh to get their first points on the board on 16 minutes as Charlie Shiel pounced on a misplace offload to Jamie Osborne before racing over.
From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026
With Tadgh Furlong still not fully fit, Farrell said he was not prepared to risk the British and Irish Lion for this game.
From Barron's • Feb. 3, 2026
But 17-year-old Elle Furlong says she's still afraid.
From BBC • Dec. 10, 2025
Former CEO Matt Furlong acknowledged the company was on the “brink of bankruptcy” leading up to the 2021 short squeeze.
From Barron's • Dec. 10, 2025
Stadium, a Furlong; after the Romans, 125. pases: the English, 40. rod.
From The Way To Geometry by Bedwell, William
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
