furlong

American  

[fur-lawng, -long] / ˈfɜr lɔŋ, -lɒŋ /

noun

1. a unit of distance, equal to 220 yards (201 meters) or ⅛ mile (0.2 kilometer). fur.

---

furlong British  

/ ˈfɜːˌlɒŋ /

noun

1. a unit of length equal to 220 yards (201.168 metres)

---

Etymology

Origin of furlong

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English furlang “length of a furrow”; furrow, long ¹

Example Sentences

For most of the horses, it was their first time going 1 1/8 miles, a furlong short of the 1 ¼-mile Kentucky Derby.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2025

Unusually, they had to play second fiddle for much of the season to a resurgent Arsenal, who led from the front but faded over the final furlong.

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2023

It looked as though 66-1 outsider King Of Steel had pushed into an unassailable lead coming into the final furlong but Auguste Rodin caught him up and ultimately won convincingly.

From Washington Times • Jun. 3, 2023

At Doncaster, Eldar Eldarov produced a late surge over the final furlong to win this year’s St. Leger by two lengths.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 11, 2022

With a furlong to go, Aneroid’s head bobbed in front, just as Rosemont’s had done a few months before.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand