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A kilometer (Commonwealth spelling: kilometre), symbol: km is a unit of length in the metric system equal to 1,000 metres (from the Greek words χίλια (khilia) = thousand and μέτρο (metro) = count/measure). It is approximately equal to 0.621 miles, 1,094 yards or 3,281 feet.

Slang terms for kilometer include "klick" (sometimes spelt "click" or "klik") and "kay" (or "k"). All these slang terms can also refer to kilometers per hour.

Metric system

Main articles: Metric system and Metre

Like the kilometer, all units of length in the metric system are based on the meter, by adding an SI prefix that stands for a power of ten, such as hecto for one hundred to form hectometer (0.1 kilometer) or mega for one million to form megameter (1,000 kilometers).

The meter is not only the basis for all units of length in the metric system, but also of units of area (the square metre) and volume (the cubic metre). This extends to the kilometer, so one can have square and cubic kilometres.

Unicode has symbols for "km" (㎞), for square kilometer (㎢) and for cubic kilometer (㎦); however, they are useful only in CJK texts, where they are equal in size to one Chinese character.

Pronunciation

In theory, the pronunciation of the word kilometer should have the stress placed on the first syllable, in line with other metric prefixes (as in kilogram, kilojoule and, analogous, kilobyte). However, pronunciation with the stress on the second syllable is usual in English.

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-A '''kilometre''' ([[American English|American spelling]]: '''kilometer'''), symbol: '''km''' is a [[physical unit|unit]] of [[length]] in the [[metric system]] equal to 1,000 [[metre]]s (from the [[Greek language|Greek]] words ''χίλια'' (''khilia'') = thousand and ''μέτρο'' (''metro'') = count/measure). It is approximately equal to 0.621 [[mile]]s, 1,094 [[yard]]s or 3,281 [[Foot (unit of length)|feet]].
+A '''kilometer''' ([[Commonwealth|Commonwealth spelling]]: '''kilometre'''), symbol: '''km''' is a [[physical unit|unit]] of [[length]] in the [[metric system]] equal to 1,000 [[metre]]s (from the [[Greek language|Greek]] words ''χίλια'' (''khilia'') = thousand and ''μέτρο'' (''metro'') = count/measure). It is approximately equal to 0.621 [[mile]]s, 1,094 [[yard]]s or 3,281 [[Foot (unit of length)|feet]].
-[[Slang]] terms for kilometre include "[[klick]]" (sometimes spelt "click" or "klik") and "kay" (or "k"). All these slang terms can also refer to [[kilometre per hour|kilometres per hour]].
+[[Slang]] terms for kilometer include "[[klick]]" (sometimes spelt "click" or "klik") and "kay" (or "k"). All these slang terms can also refer to [[kilometre per hour|kilometers per hour]].
 ==Metric system==
 :''Main articles: [[Metric system]] and [[Metre]]''
-Like the kilometre, all units of length in the metric system are based on the metre, by adding an [[SI prefix]] that stands for a power of ten, such as ''hecto'' for one hundred to form [[hectometre]] (0.1 kilometre) or ''mega'' for one million to form [[megametre]] (1,000 kilometres).
+Like the kilometer, all units of length in the metric system are based on the meter, by adding an [[SI prefix]] that stands for a power of ten, such as ''hecto'' for one hundred to form [[hectometer]] (0.1 kilometer) or ''mega'' for one million to form [[megameter]] (1,000 kilometers).
-The metre is not only the basis for all units of [[length]] in the metric system, but also of units of [[area]] (the [[square metre]]) and [[volume]] (the [[cubic metre]]). This extends to the kilometre, so one can have square and cubic kilometres.
+The meter is not only the basis for all units of [[length]] in the metric system, but also of units of [[area]] (the [[square metre]]) and [[volume]] (the [[cubic metre]]). This extends to the kilometer, so one can have square and cubic kilometres.
-[[Unicode]] has symbols for "km" (&#13214;), for square kilometre (&#13218;) and for cubic kilometre (&#13222;); however, they are useful only in [[CJK]] texts, where they are equal in size to one [[Chinese character]].
+[[Unicode]] has symbols for "km" (&#13214;), for square kilometer (&#13218;) and for cubic kilometer (&#13222;); however, they are useful only in [[CJK]] texts, where they are equal in size to one [[Chinese character]].
 ==Pronunciation==
-In theory, the pronunciation of the word ''kilometre'' should have the stress placed on the first syllable, in line with other metric prefixes (as in ''[[kilogram]]'', ''[[Joule|kilojoule]]'' and, analogous, ''[[kilobyte]]''). However, pronunciation with the stress on the second syllable is usual in [[English language|English]].
+In theory, the pronunciation of the word ''kilometer'' should have the stress placed on the first syllable, in line with other metric prefixes (as in ''[[kilogram]]'', ''[[Joule|kilojoule]]'' and, analogous, ''[[kilobyte]]''). However, pronunciation with the stress on the second syllable is usual in [[English language|English]].
 == See also ==
-[[hectometre]] << kilometre << [[megametre]]
+[[hectometer]] << kilometer << [[megameter]]
 *[[Orders of magnitude]], [[1 E3 m]]