klick

Meaning

1. (slang) A kilometer.
2. (plural-normally, slang) Kilometres per hour.

Synonyms

kilometer

kilometre

km

Translations

borne

كِيْلُو مِتْر

kilòmetre

quilòmetre

km

kilomètre

km

chilometro

kilometro

quilómetro

quilômetro

km

Pronounced as (IPA)

/klɪk/

Etymology

* Most likely a pseudo-condensed pronunciation of kilometer, being a suitably short word emphasizing k+l instead of /keɪ/ alone (the same principle as with military spelling alphabets, but also clearly distinguished from kilo (/kiːloʊ/) for kilogram).
* Possibly onomatopoeic of the sound of a military odometer. When a soldier would complete a mark, they would signal to their commander and denote movement of 1,000 meters by hoisting up their rifle and moving the gas regulator with their thumb, which made a "click" the commander could hear.