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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Also, each prototype will have varied designs, but all will be required to have a minimum flight endurance of 12 hours, a range of 100 nautical miles (115 miles, 185 km) and handle a 60-lb (27-kg) payload. David Szondy june 27, New Atlas, 27 June 2025 The Echelon is a clean-sheet design rather than simply a stretched HondaJet, with stats that surpass competitors’, including a best-in-class range of 2,625 nautical miles, 120 cubic feet of baggage space, and a maximum cruise speed of 450 knots. Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 12 June 2025 Compared to the 747-200, the 747-8 emits around 16 less tons of carbon per trip, can travel about 1,000 nautical miles further in range, and is the fastest commercial jet in the world, according to Boeing. Kat Lonsdorf, NPR, 23 May 2025 These systems can now scan for turbulence up to 60 nautical miles ahead of the aircraft. Jim Foerster, Forbes.com, 20 May 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 15 Jul. 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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