What does mile mean?
A mile is a standard unit of distance used in British and American English. It equals 5,280 international feet, or exactly 1,609.344 metres, and is commonly used to describe road distances, running routes, and other lengths. The term can also function figuratively: saying that two people or approaches are “miles apart” emphasizes a substantial difference, while “miles to go” can describe a large amount of remaining work or effort. Although the mile is deeply established in everyday British and American usage, its length does not apply to every context. A nautical mile, for example, measures 1,852 metres and is used in aviation and maritime navigation, while the historical Roman mile was longer than the modern statute mile. The word is also culturally associated with endurance and achievement, especially in phrases such as the “four-minute mile” and “go the extra mile.”
nounA unit of linear distance equal to 5,280 international feet (1,609.344 metres), used in the United States and the United Kingdom; other traditional units such as the nautical mile have different lengths. Figuratively, a mile can signify a very great distance or amount.
- A unit of linear distance equal to 5,280 international feet, or 1,609.344 metres.
- A great distance or amount, as in “miles apart” or “miles to go.”
"We drove thirty miles before stopping for breakfast."
"The station is just under a mile from the office."
"The two departments are miles apart when it comes to experience."
The plural miles is used for distances greater than one mile and for figurative quantities or separations.
"The two towns are twenty miles apart."
A mile was once “a thousand paces”: the Roman unit took its name from Latin milia, the plural of mille, meaning “thousand.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does mile come from?
The word entered English through Old English mīl, borrowed from Latin milia, the neuter plural of mille, meaning “thousand.” Latin milia was used for thousands, including milia passuum, “thousand paces,” which denoted the Roman mile. English later treated the historically plural Latin form as a singular unit. The Roman mile was longer than the modern English mile, but the name and underlying concept continued through later measurement traditions.
Related word forms
How mile is actually used
An unqualified mile normally means the statute mile of 5,280 international feet. A nautical mile is a different unit, equal to 1,852 metres, and is used in navigation and aviation. Figurative expressions involving miles are idiomatic and often emphasize a substantial separation or difference.
Easily confused with mile
A mile is a unit of distance, whereas a nail is a metal fastener or the hard tip of a finger or toe.