Definition

A unit of distance that is equal to one-eighth of a mile, or about 201 meters.

Example

The horse raced a distance of one furlong before reaching the finish line.

Conversation

Did you know that a furlong is actually 220 yards long?

Really? I always thought it was just some random horse racing term.

Yeah, it's used in racing to measure distances.

That's pretty interesting! I should remember that for trivia night.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Furlong originates from the Old English 'furh' (meaning furrow) and 'lang' (meaning long). The word refers to the length of a furrow in a plowed field, which was traditionally measured as one-eighth of a mile.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'furrow' ('furh') in a field that is 'long' ('lang') — that's how a furlong is defined as a long distance in farming.

Visually Confused Words