length · Maritime historical family · Historical-modern

cable length

variant

Record: M052
Definition quality: Variant-dependent
Conversion mode: variant selection
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Definition

Cable length is a nautical distance term whose numerical value has varied by country, navy and period.

Reference value by variant

cable length covers several documented traditions, each with its own value. Choose a variant below to see a figure.

History & use

Cable lengths arose from maritime practice and were commonly related to fractions of a nautical mile or cable/anchor practice, but standards differed.

Modern use

Modern use is context-dependent and varies by region or measurement system.

Sources & evidence

Source tier — · confidence unknown

Related measurements

metre

length · International · Modern

SI base unit of length. Its definition fixes the speed of light in vacuum at exactly 299,792,458 m/s, with the second defined from the caesium-133 hyperfine frequency.