kilometer
gb/kɪlˈɔmɪtɚ/ us/kɪlˈɔmɪtɚ/
A2
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
quantity
1
metric unit of length
A kilometer is a distance of 1,000 meters.
Usage pattern:
[number] kilometer(s); [number] kilometer(s) from [place]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse the spelling (kilometer vs kilometre) or mix it up with mile as a similar-sounding unit.
Synonyms
km (Common written abbreviation for kilometer.)
Collocations
a kilometer away
|ten kilometers
|a few kilometers
|kilometers from here
|kilometer distance
|kilometer measurement
|kilometer run
|kilometer mark
|kilometer race
|kilometer walk
Themes
measurement
|numbers
|travel
|science
Examples
- The station is about two kilometers from my apartment.
- The race is five kilometers long.
- They drove 30 kilometers to get to the beach.
Learner examples
- It is one kilometer to the park.
- We walked three kilometers.
Noun
B1
quantity
2
a length of one kilometer
A kilometer can mean a piece that is one kilometer long.
Usage pattern:
a kilometer of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may avoid this use and repeat “one kilometer long” instead; both are correct.
Synonyms
kilometre (Alternative spelling used especially in British English.)
Collocations
a kilometer of road
|a kilometer of track
|a kilometer of fence
|a kilometer of coastline
|a kilometer of tunnel
|a kilometer stretch
Themes
measurement
|travel
|construction
Examples
- They resurfaced a kilometer of road near the bridge.
- A kilometer of fencing was damaged in the storm.
- We hiked a quiet kilometer of forest trail before turning back.
Learner examples
- We repaired a kilometer of road.
- They built a kilometer of new track.
Grammar
Dictionary form
kilometer
IPA
GB/kɪlˈɔmɪtɚ/
US/kɪlˈɔmɪtɚ/
Syllables & stress
kilo - met - er (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (met)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: kilometer
- Plural: kilometers
Word family
Expressions
kilometer marker
1/kɪlˈɔmɪtɚ mˈɑɹkɚ/
fixed phrase
distance sign by the road
A sign that tells distance in kilometers.
Examples
- Meet me at the kilometer marker 12 on the highway.
- The accident happened near a kilometer marker just outside town.
- The runners used the kilometer markers to pace themselves.
kilometer-long
1/kɪlˈɔmɪtɚ lˈɔŋ/
fixed phrase
about one kilometer in length
One kilometer long.
Examples
- They built a kilometer-long tunnel through the mountain.
- A kilometer-long line formed outside the stadium.
- The parade stretched into a kilometer-long crowd.
kilometers per hour
1/kɪlˈɔmɪtɚz pˈɚ ˈaʊɚ/
fixed phrase
speed measured in km/h
A way to say how fast something moves using kilometers and hours.
Examples
- The speed limit here is 50 kilometers per hour.
- The train was traveling at 220 kilometers per hour.
- I was driving at about 80 kilometers per hour when it started raining.
per kilometer
1/pˈɚ kɪlˈɔmɪtɚ/
fixed phrase
for each kilometer traveled
For every kilometer.
Examples
- The taxi charges $1.50 per kilometer after the first mile.
- The company reimburses drivers at a fixed rate per kilometer.
- This route uses less fuel per kilometer.
square kilometer
1/skwˈɛɹ kɪlˈɔmɪtɚ/
fixed phrase
unit of area (km²)
A unit for measuring area.
Examples
- The city covers about 300 square kilometers.
- The park is less than one square kilometer.
- The wildfire spread across several square kilometers.