An old unit of distance equal to one-eighth of a mile, or 220 yards, still used today in horse racing.
From Old English 'furrlang,' combining 'furh' (furrow) and 'lang' (long)—literally the length of a furrow in a standard medieval field. This practical measurement became standardized in agriculture and later in racing.
Horse racing still uses furlongs instead of meters or yards, which is why you hear racing announcers talk about 'racing a six-furlong sprint'—it's one of the last everyday uses of this medieval farming measurement!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.