Mile
/maɪl/noun
A unit of distance equal to 5,280 feet in the U.S. customary system.
Did you know?The English word comes from Latin milia, plural of mille, meaning “thousand,” because a Roman mile was originally 1,000 double-steps (paces).
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sm̥h₁-ló- / *meh₁-
“Ancient roots behind the idea of “thousand” and counting in large numbers.”
Latin
Latin
mille
“A thousand.”
Latin
Latin
milia passuum
“A thousand paces; the Roman mile.”
Old English
English
mīl
“A mile, borrowed through Latin and Old French influence.”
Middle English
English
mile
“A unit of distance used in English.”
Modern English
English
mile
“A standard unit of distance in English-speaking countries.”
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