square mile

American  

[skwair mahyl] / ˈskwɛər ˈmaɪl /

noun

1. a unit of area measurement equal to a square measuring one mile on each side; equivalent to 2.59 square kilometers. mi 2 , sq. mi.

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Etymology

Origin of square mile

First recorded in 1620–30

Example Sentences

President Thomas Jefferson acquired the 828,000-square-mile Louisiana Purchase in 1803 for $15 million, or about $18 per square mile.

From Barron's • Jan. 8, 2026

The country’s east is heavily urbanized, with a population density about 50 times that of Arctic Scandinavia and Finland, where every square mile houses on average five people.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 27, 2025

Gibraltar, which is a British Overseas Territory, is a 2.6 square mile headland to the south of Spain.

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2025

It essentially entails trying to locate one square mile of activity in a 1,000-square-mile search area, Hunnicutt said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 31, 2025

My uncle claimed that more bugs lived per square mile in southern Georgia than anywhere in the state.

From "Kira-Kira" by Cynthia Kadohata