What does "mil" mean?
An angular mil, a unit of angular measurement equal to ¹⁄₆₄₀₀ of a complete circle. At 1000 metres one mil subtends about one metre (0.98 m). Also ¹⁄₆₀₀₀ and ¹⁄₆₃₀₀ are used in other countries.
Mil
/mɪl/ adj, name, noun, slang
adj, name, noun, slang ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An angular mil, a unit of angular measurement equal to ¹⁄₆₄₀₀ of a complete circle. At 1000 metres one mil subtends about one metre (0.98 m). Also ¹⁄₆₀₀₀ and ¹⁄₆₃₀₀ are used in other countries.
- Grammar: mil is listed as adj, name, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: cc, cubic centimeter, cubic centimetre, kilometer.
- Useful contrasts: inch, meter.
- Usage evidence: For this task, I prefer the plastic sheeting that is 10 mils thick.
How to use "mil"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "mil" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "mil" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "mil" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "mil" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "mil" is acting as adj, name, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "cc" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "mil", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An angular mil, a unit of angular measurement equal to ¹⁄₆₄₀₀ of a complete circle. At 1000 metres one mil subtends about one metre (0.98 m). Also ¹⁄₆₀₀₀ and ¹⁄₆₃₀₀ are used in other countries.
- 2 Clipping of million. abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, informal
"Word has it that they were offered a cool ten mil to sell their farm to the land developers."
- 3 Initialism of mother-in-law. Internet, abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
- 4 an angular unit used in artillery; equal to 1/6400 of a complete revolution wordnet
- 5 A unit of measurement equal to ¹⁄₁₀₀₀ of an inch (25.4 µm), usually used for thin objects, such as sheets of plastic.
"For this task, I prefer the plastic sheeting that is 10 mils thick."
Show 9 more definitions
- 6 Initialism of malfunction indicator lamp. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
- 7 a metric unit of volume equal to one thousandth of a liter wordnet
- 8 A former subdivision (¹⁄₁₀₀₀) of the Maltese lira.
- 9 a unit of length equal to one thousandth of an inch; used to specify thickness (e.g., of sheets or wire) wordnet
- 10 Clipping of milliliter. abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, informal
"We told her to give her daughter ten mils of cough syrup and to call us back if the cough gets worse."
- 11 a Swedish unit of length equivalent to 10 km wordnet
- 12 Clipping of millimeter. abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, informal
"For this task, I prefer the plastic bars that are 10 mils in diameter."
- 13 a Cypriot monetary unit equal to one thousandth of a pound wordnet
- 14 Clipping of milliradian. abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, informal
"A dot in a mil-dot reticle represents one mil, which corresponds to a few inches at 100 yards."
Adjective
- 1 Clipping of military abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, not-comparable
Proper Noun
- 1 Abbreviation of Milwaukee. abbreviation, alt-of
- 2 Clipping of Milwaukee: The largest city in Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, informal
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"For this task, I prefer the plastic sheeting that is 10 mils thick."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "mil"?
Common synonyms include: cc, cubic centimeter, cubic centimetre, kilometer, measure, mile.
How do you use "mil" in a sentence?
For this task, I prefer the plastic sheeting that is 10 mils thick.
How do you pronounce "mil"?
Pronounced /mɪl/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Ultimately from Latin millesimum. The clippings come by way of the clipped words (e.g., millilitre, millimetre, milliradian).
Etymology 2
Clipping of million.
Etymology 3
Clipping of military.