# kilometre

> English word · Noun · IPA /kɪˈlɒmɪtə/ · frequency rank #22,131

## Definitions
1. An SI unit of length equal to 10³ metres. Symbol: km

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰes-
Proto-Indo-European *-lom
Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰesliyoy
Proto-Hellenic *kʰehliyoi
Ancient Greek χίλιοι (khílioi)der.
French kilo-
Proto-Indo-European *meh₁-
Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr
Proto-Indo-European *-trom
Proto-Hellenic *-tron
Ancient Greek -τρον (-tron)
Ancient Greek μέτρον (métron)der.
Latin metrumbor.
French mètre
French kilomètrebor.
English kilometre
From French kilomètre, from Ancient Greek χίλιοι (khílioi, “thousand”) + μέτρον (métron, “measure”); equivalent to kilo- + metre.

## Easily confused with
- **kilometer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/kilometer-vs-kilometre)

## Common misspellings (12)
`iklometre`, `killometre`, `kilmoetre`, `kiloemtre`, `kilomerte`, `kilometrre`, `kilomettre`, `kilommetre`, `kilomtere`, `kiolmetre`, `kkilometre`, `kliometre`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/kilometre