Noun: nautical mile no-ti-kul mI(-u)l
- A unit of length used in navigation; exactly 1,852 meters; historically based on the distance spanned by one minute of arc in latitude
"The pilot calculated the flight distance in international nautical miles";
- mile, mi, naut mi, international nautical mile, air mile
- A former British unit of length equivalent to 6,080 feet (1,853.184 meters); 800 feet longer than a statute mile
"Ships calculate their speed in nautical miles per hour";
- naut mi, mile, mi, geographical mile, Admiralty mile
Derived forms: nautical miles
Type of: nautical linear unit
Encyclopedia: Nautical mile