Kilometer
/ˈkɪləˌmiːtər/
Definitions
A unit of length in the metric system, equal to one thousand meters.
/ˈkɪləˌmiːtər/
A unit of length
The journey was 100 kilometers long.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're walking a really, really long distance. A kilometer is about 10 football fields! When you're trying to measure how far something is, kilometers help you keep track!
👶 For kids: A kilometer is a way to measure how far something is, like if you're going for a walk or driving in a car. It's a really long step!
More Examples
The speed limit on the highway is 110 kilometers per hour.
This car gets 10 kilometers per liter of fuel.
How It's Used
"The car's odometer shows the distance traveled in kilometers."
"Scientists use kilometers to measure distances in space."
From French *kilomètre*, from *kilo-* (from Greek *chilioi*, meaning 'thousand') + *meter* (from Greek *metron*, meaning 'measure').
The term 'kilometer' gained widespread use in the late 18th and early 19th centuries with the adoption of the metric system in Europe and then globally.
Memory tip
Think of a 'kilo' of meters, like a thousand meters combined.
Practice
Word Origin
Root: kilo-