# MPH

/ˈɛmˈpiˈeɪtʃ/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mph
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. speed measurement

noun · CEFR B1 · American English · British English

Stands for miles per hour. It is a unit used to measure the speed of cars and other vehicles.

For teachers: Abbreviation for miles per hour. A unit of speed expressing the number of international miles travelled in one hour.

- The speed limit on this road is 30 MPH to keep pedestrians safe.
- The vehicle was clocked at over 100 MPH, which is significantly above the legal limit for a residential motorway.

Usage: Usually written in capital letters or lowercase (mph) and placed after the number.

Teaching tip: Note that while most of the world uses kilometers per hour (km/h), MPH remains the standard in the US and UK.

## Examples

- The speed limit on this road is 30 MPH.
- The driver was pulled over for travelling at 85 MPH in a zone restricted to 65 MPH.
- Engineers designed the high-speed rail system to maintain a cruising speed of 200 MPH while ensuring passenger comfort through advanced vibration dampening technology.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.