kilometer
Meaning
A metric unit of length equal to 1,000 meters.
Structure
Usage
The town is located just a few kilometers from the coast.
She can run a kilometer in under five minutes.
The race is exactly 42.195 kilometers long.
Etymology
The word 'kilometer' is a modern scientific compound formed within the metric system, established in France in the late 18th century. Its first element, 'kilo-', derives from the Greek 'khilioi', meaning "thousand", a term of ancient Indo-European origin. The second element, 'meter', originates from the Greek 'metron', meaning "a measure", which itself stems from the Proto-Indo-European root 'me-', meaning "to measure". Thus, the term's literal construction as "a thousand measures" directly and logically reflects its precise definition as a unit of length comprising one thousand meters.
Analysis
- kilo: From French, from Greek 'khilioi', meaning "thousand". It functions as a combining form denoting a factor of one thousand. - meter: From French 'mètre', from Greek 'metron', meaning "measure". It functions as the base unit of length in the metric system.