Word
kilometres per hour
Definition
compound. A way to measure speed. It shows how many kilometres something travels in one hour.
compound. A unit of speed expressing the distance in kilometres travelled over a period of one hour, commonly abbreviated as km/h.
Examples
“The speed limit is 50 kilometres per hour.”
“He was driving at 120 kilometres per hour on the motorway when the police stopped him.”
“The winds were recorded at over two hundred kilometres per hour, strong enough to tear the roofs from buildings and uproot ancient trees.”
Examples
simple
“The speed limit is 50 kilometres per hour.”
contextual
“He was driving at 120 kilometres per hour on the motorway when the police stopped him.”
complex
“The winds were recorded at over two hundred kilometres per hour, strong enough to tear the roofs from buildings and uproot ancient trees.”
Usage
This is often abbreviated as 'km/h' or 'kph', especially in writing.
Teaching tip
Contrast this with 'miles per hour' (mph), used in the US and UK; 1 mile is approximately 1.6 kilometres.
Pitfall
The speed is 50 kilometre per hour.
The speed is 50 kilometres per hour.
When the number is greater than one, 'kilometre' must be plural ('kilometres').