nautical mile

noun

1. a unit of distance used chiefly in navigation, equal to 6080.20 feet (1853.25 meters) in the United States, now replaced by the international nautical mile.

nautical mile

noun

1. Also calledinternational nautical mileair mile a unit of length, used esp in navigation, equivalent to the average length of a minute of latitude, and corresponding to a latitude of 45°, i.e. 1852 m (6076.12 ft)
2. a former British unit of length equal to 1853.18 m (6080 ft), which was replaced by the international nautical mile in 1970 Former namegeographical mile Compare sea mile

nautical mile

/ nô′tĭ-kəl /

1. A unit of length in the US Customary System, used in air and sea navigation and equal to 6,076 feet or 2,025 yards (1,852 meters).
2. Also called geographic mile
3. See Table at measurement

Word History and Origins

Origin of nautical mile¹

First recorded in 1625–35

Example Sentences

Only on the equator is a minute of longitude and a nautical mile of the same length.

From Project Gutenberg

Now you have already learned that a minute of latitude is always equal to a nautical mile.

From Project Gutenberg

Its breaking strain is 135 cwt., and cost about 357 per nautical mile.

From Project Gutenberg

Its breaking strain 65 cwt., and cost about 127 per nautical mile.

From Project Gutenberg

The drums used for reeling a multiple cable on, are capable of holding half a nautical mile in length.

From Project Gutenberg