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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At 5,400 nautical miles, Seawolf X’s range is twice that of a similar-length monohull, thanks to the twin-hull shape, substantial battery-storage capacity, and A.I.-governed operational and engine efficiencies. Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 14 June 2025 Its larger 24-foot Corsair, released last October for urgent operations, has a range of 1,000 nautical miles, a maximum speed of over 35 knots, or 40 mph, and a payload capacity of 1,000 pounds. Kaitlin Balasaygun, CNBC, 10 June 2025 The advisory also applies to Gulf waters stretching from East Cape Sable to Chokoloskee, 20 to 60 nautical miles out and beyond the five-fathom mark. Barney Henderson, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025 The report said at their closest points, the planes were just 0.4 nautical miles apart horizontally and 280 feet apart vertically. Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 30 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 18 Jun. 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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