Definition
A unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour (approximately 1.15 statute miles per hour or 1.852 kilometers per hour). Knots is the standard unit used in aviation for airspeed, wind speed, and groundspeed.
Plain English
A way of measuring how fast something is moving, used in flying and at sea. One knot means traveling one nautical mile in one hour.
Context Anchor
Seen in weather reports, wind forecasts, airspeed information, and performance charts.
Derivation
The term comes from old sailing ships, where speed was measured by tossing a rope over the side with knots tied at fixed intervals. Sailors counted how many knots passed through their hands in a set time, and that became the unit of speed. Aviation inherited the unit from maritime navigation because both deal with movement over the curved surface of the Earth.
Why Pilots Care
All performance numbers, navigation calculations, and wind reports are given in knots, so using the correct unit keeps speeds, distances, and fuel planning accurate.
Intuition Check
Do not read KT as regular miles per hour. KT means knots, and knots are slightly faster than miles per hour.
Example Sentence 1
The wind at the destination airport was reported as 250 degrees at 15 knots.
Example Sentence 2
The METAR reported wind from 270 degrees at 12 KT.