Kilometers is the plural form of kilometer, a unit of length in the metric system equal to 1,000 meters. It’s used to measure distance in many countries outside the United States. The word is commonly spoken in everyday contexts, sports, travel, and science, and is pronounced with two primary syllables in American English and with a syllabic emphasis on the first morpheme.
- Confusing which syllable is stressed: ki-LO-me-ters vs ki-LA-me-ters. Practice by tapping the syllable with the beat; emphasize the second syllable. - Mispronouncing vowel length in the stressed syllable: ensure the /ɒ/ or /ɑː/ is held slightly longer than /ɪ/. - Final sound in plural: ensure you voice the final /z/ clearly; avoid a whispered or unvoiced ending. - Avoid reducing the second syllable’s vowel; keep it crisp: /ˈlɒmɪ/ or /ˈlɑːmɪ/. - Don’t omit the final /t/ before the -əz ending in rapid speech: practice with minimal pairs like kilometer vs kilometers.
- US: Final syllable often /ərz/ with a clear rhotic /ɹ/; hyper-correct speakers may say /ə/ before the /z/. - UK/AU: Non-rhotic tendencies; final /r/ becomes a vowel-like /ə/ or silent; keep /t/ clear before /əz/; vowels in stressed syllable are shorter and tenser. - IPA anchors: US /kɪˈlɑː.mɪ.tərz/, UK/AU /kɪˈlɒ.mɪ.təz/; note the difference in /ɑː/ vs /ɒ/ in the stressed syllable and rhoticity of the final vowel. - Tips: practice distinguishing /æ/ vs /ɒ/ in the first stressed syllable depending on the accent, and keep the final /z/ voiced in all accents.
"We ran 5 kilometers this morning."
"The race is 10 kilometers long."
"She traveled 20 kilometers by train."
"We need to cover about 3.5 kilometers to reach the park."
Kilometer combines the prefix kilo- from the Greek χίλιοι (khilioi) meaning 'thousand' with the word meter from the Greek μέτρον (metron) meaning 'measure.' The term metric originates from the broader system developed in France in the late 18th century, with the meter defined in 1799 as one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole along a great circle. The plural form kilometers is formed by adding the standard English plural -s to kilometer. In English, kilometer morphed through Anglo-Norman and early Modern English, with usage spreading globally as metric systems became standard scientific and international units. First known uses in English date from the 19th century as the metric system was adopted in scientific and educational contexts, and it gained broader adoption in global navigation, transport, and military communication during the 20th century, especially as international travel and commerce increased.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Kilometers" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Kilometers"
-ers sounds
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Usual pronunciation is /kɪˈlɒmɪtəz/ (UK/AU) or /kɪˈlɑːmɪtərz/ (US). The primary stress falls on the second syllable: ki-LA-me-ters. The word breaks into kilo- (kilo) + meter (meters). Important phonemes: /k/ at the start, /ˈlɒ/ or /ˈlɑː/ in the stressed syllable, /mɪ/, /tə/ or /tər/ before the plural /z/. Mouth position: keep the lips rounded slightly for /ɒ/ or /ɑː/, tongue high for /ɪ/ in the first and second syllables, and finish with a light /z/ or /z/ sound. For audio reference, compare slow enunciation to a real-world recording—this helps lock the syllable boundary and final voiced s.”,
Common errors include stressing the wrong syllable (say ki-LO-me-ters instead of ki-LA-me-ters), mispronouncing the middle vowel as a short /a/ in non-rhotic accents, and misplacing the final /z/ or /ərz/ as /ər/ without voicing. Correction tips: emphasize the second syllable with /ˈlɒ/ or /ˈlɑː/; keep /mɪ/ short and unstressed; pronounce the final plural as /-təz/ or /-tərz/ with voicing. Practicing with a minimal pair like kilo vs kilometer helps solidify the boundary and the correct vowel quality in the stressed syllable.
In US English, final syllable often rhymes with /-ərz/ and the middle vowel is broader /ɑː/ in many speakers (kɪˈlɑː.mɪ.tɚz). UK and AU accents typically show /ˈlɒmɪ/ with shorter /ɒ/ and clearer /t/ before the /əz/ ending, and non-rhotic tendencies can affect the pronunciation of the final /z/ as a softer /s/ in casual speech. Still, all varieties keep stress on the second syllable and maintain the two-plus syllable rhythm. Listen to a native for subtle vowel shifts and the final /z/ voicing.
The difficulty often comes from the two-syllable shift within the compound word kilo- + meter: the stressed syllable ki-LA- can be easy, but the /ˈlɒmɪ/ sequence with a short vs. long vowel contrast, plus the plural ending /-təz/ or /-tərz/, challenges non-native speakers. The rapid transition between /l/ and /m/ and the final voiced /z/ requires precise voicing. Also, the American /ər/ or /ɚ/ in the final syllable can blur in fast speech.
Why does the second syllable carry the strongest stress in kilOMEters? The answer: the prefix kilo- is a stress-bearing prefix in many compounds, but in kil- the natural English stress lands on the syllable that forms the root word meter when pronounced in English as a compound noun. The contrast between /ˈlɒ/ or /ˈlɑː/ and the following /mɪ/ creates a clear rise in pitch, marking the word boundary and indicating the unit being discussed.
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- Shadowing: listen to a native recite ‘kilometers’ in sentences and repeat exactly after them; focus on the two syllable boundary and final /z/. - Minimal pairs: kilometer vs kilometers? Compare with kilometer (singular) to feel the plural ending. Also compare /ˈlɑː/ vs /ˈlɒ/ in stressed syllable with /mɪ/ and /tə/ or /tər/. - Rhythm: count syllables as 2.5 beats; practice with metronome at 60 BPM then 80 BPM; keep the second syllable stressed. - Stress practice: place primary beat on the second syllable; practice sentences with fast pace. - Recording: record yourself saying “kilometers per hour” and compare to a reference recording for rhythm and vowel quality.
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