nautical mile

noun

: any of various units of distance used for sea and air navigation based on the length of a minute of arc of a great circle of the earth and differing because the earth is not a perfect sphere: such as
a
: a British unit equal to 6080 feet (1853.2 meters)
b
: an international unit equal to exactly 1852 meters (6076.115 feet or 1.15 statute miles) used officially in the U.S. since July 1, 1954

Examples of nautical mile in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The yacht can reach speeds of up to seven knots and cover up to 1,000 nautical miles on electricity alone. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 11 Aug. 2025 Its boats are relatively conventional other than being electrified, offering ranges up to 100 nautical miles and a 30-knot max speed. James Morris, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2025 An extensive search of the area — which ultimately covered about 500 nautical miles — was launched involving first responders from Stratford, Bridgeport, Fairfield, Westport, Shelton, Trumbull, Guilford and Monroe, as well as Connecticut State Police and the U.S. Coast Guard. Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 8 Aug. 2025 The massive vessel has a range of 8,000 nautical miles and accommodates 36 crew members and 22 guests. Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nautical mile

Word History

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nautical mile was in 1830

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Cite this Entry

“Nautical mile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nautical%20mile. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

nautical mile

noun
: any of various units of distance used for sea and air navigation equal to about 6076 feet (1852 meters)

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