mile

American  

[mahyl] / maɪl /

noun

• miles
  plural

1. Also called statute mile.  a unit of distance on land in English-speaking countries equal to 5,280 feet, or 1,760 yards (1.609 kilometers).

2. nautical mile.

3. international nautical mile.

4. any of various other units of distance or length at different periods and in different countries.

5. a notable distance or margin: mi, mi.

   missed the target by a mile.

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mile British  

/ maɪl /

noun

1. Also called: statute mile.  a unit of length used in the UK, the US, and certain other countries, equal to 1760 yards. 1 mile is equivalent to 1.609 34 kilometres

2. See nautical mile

3. See Swedish mile

4. any of various units of length used at different times and places, esp the Roman mile, equivalent to 1620 yards

5. informal (often plural) a great distance; great deal

   he missed by a mile

6. a race extending over a mile

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adverb

1. (intensifier)

   he likes his new job miles better

mile Scientific  

/ mīl /

1. A unit of length in the US Customary System, equal to 5,280 feet or 1,760 yards (about 1.61 kilometers).

2. Also called statute mile

3. See nautical mile See Table at measurement

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mile Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing mile

• miss by a mile
• miss is as good as a mile
• stick out (like a mile)

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• miles
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mile

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English mīl, from Latin mīlle (passus); mīlle, mīlia (passuum) “a thousand (paces), thousands of paces”

Explanation

A mile is a unit for measuring distance. There are 1,760 yards in a mile, which is the same as 5,280 feet or 63,360 inches. If you're exhausted in the morning, your mile-long walk to school might feel much longer. In the U.S. and the U.K., the mile is the standard unit for measuring roads and highways, while most other countries use the kilometer instead. You might hear people talk about how many miles per gallon their cars can go, or how many miles per hour they're allowed to drive. Informally, the word miles also means "a long way," or "a lot," so you might describe a crowd stretching for miles. The Latin root, milia, means "thousands."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mile miles

DJ SoulChild AC said on TikTok that even if it wasn’t Converse’s intention, “We can see the symbolism from a mile away.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026

With each passing mile, our conversation becomes more philosophical.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

Occupational psychologists call this work centrality - and research links this to greater engagement, commitment and willingness to go the extra mile.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

The company raised its third-quarter forecast for cost per available seat mile, excluding fuel, to a range of 6%-to-8% growth, compared with its earlier guidance of a 2.5%-to-4.5% increase.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

I jog one excruciatingly slow but pain-free mile, then a second one.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

The clothing resale companies, all founded within 50 miles of one another in the Bay Area, have turned the fashion industry on its head.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026

There are only four square miles in total of floodplain meadow in the country - the equivalent in size to Heathrow Airport.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

Not exactly what you want to hear while inside a winged, enclosed metal tube traveling at 530 miles per hour, 35,000 feet above the ground.

From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026

The aviation company said Friday the aircraft flew 3,199 miles with no control inputs from its onboard safety pilot, including autonomous taxi, takeoff, cruise and landing, which were supervised remotely.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

I was traveling at a good five or six miles an hour, well ahead of Oteg, on a lagoon formed by the Innoko River, when the trail began to tremble.

From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell