n.
Pronunciation: ' m ī (- ə )l
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English m ī l, from Latin milia miles, from milia passuum, literally, thousands of paces, from milia, plural of mille thousand
Date: before 12th century
1 : any of various units of distance: as a : a unit equal to 5280 feet ― see WEIGHT table b : NAUTICAL MILE
2 : a race of a mile
3 : a relatively great distance, degree, or interval ― used chiefly adverbially in plural <was mile s ahead of them in education>
– a mile a minute : with great speed <talking a mile a minute >