Why is some speed (e.g. wind) expressed in “knots” and what does “1 knot” even mean logicslly?

Question

Why is some speed (e.g. wind) expressed in “knots” and what does “1 knot” even mean logicslly?

In: 20

Answer 1

Here’s something else to throw into the mix.

First, **knot** is really just “slang” for **naut**ical mile (per hour); and -mile- is one of those words for which there are multiple meanings — like degree or ton/tonne.

You can’t just say — unambiguously — “It’s 35 degrees out”, because that could be Hot in one place (°C), Cold in another place (°F), and Incomprehensively, Out-of-this-World cold on the back side of the new Webb Space Telescope (°K). You have to know which kind of degree.

And you have to know if a ton(ne) is 2000 pounds, or 1000 kilograms, or a long ton, or a metric shitton … you get the picture.

And so it it with miles. To be perfectly clear, you should always use the adjective — **statute** miles, or **nautical** miles. But over time, we came to call the latter “nauts” or “knots” (per hour).