mileage

American  

[mahy-lij] / ˈmaɪ lɪdʒ /

Also milage

noun

1. the aggregate number of miles traveled over in a given time.

2. length, extent, or distance in miles.

3. the number of miles or the average distance that a vehicle can travel on a specified quantity of fuel.

   the car gets good mileage.

4. wear, use, advantage, or profit.

   She won't get much more mileage out of this old coat.

5. an allowance for traveling expenses at a fixed rate per mile.

   His mileage came to $90.

6. a fixed charge per mile, as for railroad transportation.

7. mileage ticket.

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mileage British  

/ ˈmaɪlɪdʒ /

noun

1. a distance expressed in miles

2. the total number of miles that a motor vehicle has travelled

3. allowance for travelling expenses, esp as a fixed rate per mile

4. the number of miles a motor vehicle will travel on one gallon of fuel

5. informal use, benefit, or service provided by something

   this scheme has a lot of mileage left

6. informal grounds, substance, or weight

   some mileage in the objectors' arguments

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Etymology

Origin of mileage

An Americanism dating back to 1745–55; mile + -age

Example Sentences

Suddenly, smaller cars with higher gas mileage numbers were hot — and hard to find.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

The vibrations in the Honda engine caused Aston Martin to do the lowest mileage of any team in pre-season testing and are likely to impact the team's potential to finish Sunday's season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

Lawmakers get mileage reimbursements, which can dwarf the $100, but not a per diem as in many states.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 21, 2026

U.S. airline carriers make more than $30 billion each year from the mileage they sell to credit-card partners, analysts said.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 15, 2026

She tacks up a full-color road map of the United States in her bedroom and charts her mileage daily with a green felt marker.

From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García

Related Words

• length