TERMIUM Plus®
From: Translation Bureau
On social media
Consult the Government of Canada’s terminology data bank.
GREAT CIRCLE ARC [4 records]
Record 1 - internal organization data 2015-07-15
Record 1, English
Record 1, Subject field(s)
- Metrology and Units of Measure
- River and Sea Navigation
- Air Transport
Record 1, Main entry term, English
- nautical mile
1, record 1, English, nautical%20mile
correct, officially approved
Record 1, Abbreviations, English
- NM 2, record 1, English, NM
correct, officially approved
Record 1, Synonyms, English
- sea mile 3, record 1, English, sea%20mile
correct
- marine mile 3, record 1, English, marine%20mile
correct
Record 1, Textual support, English
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 DEF
A unit of distance used in navigation, equalling the average length of one minute of arc on a great circle of the Earth. 4, record 1, English, - nautical%20mile
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 OBS
nautical mile: formerly applied to various units of distance in navigation. 4, record 1, English, - nautical%20mile
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 2 OBS
The length is equal to 1,852 metres exactly. 5, record 1, English, - nautical%20mile
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 3 OBS
nautical mile; NM: term and abbreviation officially approved by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). 6, record 1, English, - nautical%20mile
Record 1, French
Record 1, Domaine(s)
- Unités de mesure et métrologie
- Navigation fluviale et maritime
- Transport aérien
Record 1, Main entry term, French
- mille marin
1, record 1, French, mille%20marin
correct, masculine noun, officially approved
Record 1, Abbreviations, French
- NM 2, record 1, French, NM
correct, masculine noun, officially approved
Record 1, Synonyms, French
- mille nautique 3, record 1, French, mille%20nautique
correct, see observation, masculine noun
- mille marin international 4, record 1, French, mille%20marin%20international
see observation, masculine noun, obsolete
Record 1, Textual support, French
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 DEF
La 60e partie d'un degré de latitude, soit 1 852 m. 5, record 1, French, - mille%20marin
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 OBS
Pour exprimer une distance, deux unités s'offrent au pilote : le mille marin (NM) et le kilomètre (km). On accorde la préférence à la première [...] parce que, les cartes de navigation sont toujours et partout graduées en degrés et minutes sexagésimaux et que le mille marin représente la longueur d'un arc de méridien d'une minute sexagésimale. 6, record 1, French, - mille%20marin
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 2 OBS
La dénomination utilisée par la Première Conférence hydrographique internationale extraordinaire (Monaco, 1929) était «mille marin international». Le terme mille nautique est une traduction littérale de l'anglais «nautical mile». Il est d'usage en navigation aérienne et dans la Marine nationale française d'utiliser le terme nautique pour éviter toute confusion avec l'adjectif numéral mille. 4, record 1, French, - mille%20marin
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 3 OBS
mille marin; NM : terme et abréviation uniformisés par l'Organisation de l'aviation civile internationale (OACI) et par le Comité d'uniformisation de la terminologie aéronautique (CUTA) - Opérations aériennes. 6, record 1, French, - mille%20marin
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 4 OBS
mille marin : terme uniformisé par le Comité de normalisation de la terminologie navale. 6, record 1, French, - mille%20marin
Record 1, Spanish
Record 1, Campo(s) temático(s)
- Metrología y unidades de medida
- Navegación fluvial y marítima
- Transporte aéreo
Record 1, Main entry term, Spanish
- milla marina
1, record 1, Spanish, milla%20marina
correct, feminine noun, officially approved
Record 1, Abbreviations, Spanish
- NM 2, record 1, Spanish, NM
correct, feminine noun, officially approved
Record 1, Synonyms, Spanish
- milla náutica 3, record 1, Spanish, milla%20n%C3%A1utica
correct, feminine noun
Record 1, Textual support, Spanish
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Unidad internacional para medir las distancias en la navegación marítima [...] 4, record 1, Spanish, - milla%20marina
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 OBS
Longitud exactamente igual a 1852 metros. 2, record 1, Spanish, - milla%20marina
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 2 OBS
milla marina; NM: término y símbolo aceptados oficialmente por la Organización de Aviación Civil Internacional (OACI). 5, record 1, Spanish, - milla%20marina
Record 2 - internal organization data 2013-08-21
Record 2, English
Record 2, Subject field(s)
- Astronomy
Record 2, Main entry term, English
- celestial latitude
1, record 2, English, celestial%20latitude
correct
Record 2, Abbreviations, English
Record 2, Synonyms, English
Record 2, Textual support, English
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 DEF
The arc of a great circle perpendicular to the ecliptic and included between the ecliptic and the point whose latitude is to be given. 1, record 2, English, - celestial%20latitude
Record 2, French
Record 2, Domaine(s)
- Astronomie
Record 2, Main entry term, French
- latitude céleste
1, record 2, French, latitude%20c%C3%A9leste
correct, feminine noun
Record 2, Abbreviations, French
Record 2, Synonyms, French
Record 2, Textual support, French
Record 2, Spanish
Record 2, Textual support, Spanish
Record 3 - internal organization data 2003-12-10
Record 3, English
Record 3, Subject field(s)
- Mathematics
- Surveying Techniques
- Mathematical Geography
- Remote Sensing
Record 3, Main entry term, English
- geodesic
1, record 3, English, geodesic
correct, noun
Record 3, Abbreviations, English
Record 3, Synonyms, English
- geodesic line 2, record 3, English, geodesic%20line
correct
- geodetic line 2, record 3, English, geodetic%20line
correct
Record 3, Textual support, English
Record number: 3, Textual support number: 1 DEF
The shortest line between two points on a mathematically derived surface(as a straight line on a plane or an arc of a great circle on a sphere). 2, record 3, English, - geodesic
Record number: 3, Textual support number: 1 CONT
Geodesics on a sphere are great circles; in the plane with the Euclidean metric they are straight lines. 3, record 3, English, - geodesic
Record 3, Key term(s)
- geodesical line
Record 3, French
Record 3, Domaine(s)
- Mathématiques
- Techniques d'arpentage
- Géographie mathématique
- Télédétection
Record 3, Main entry term, French
- géodésique
1, record 3, French, g%C3%A9od%C3%A9sique
correct, feminine noun
Record 3, Abbreviations, French
Record 3, Synonyms, French
- ligne géodésique 2, record 3, French, ligne%20g%C3%A9od%C3%A9sique
correct, feminine noun
Record 3, Textual support, French
Record number: 3, Textual support number: 1 CONT
Dans l'espace euclidien, les géodésiques d'une sphère sont des arcs de grand cercle. 3, record 3, French, - g%C3%A9od%C3%A9sique
Record 3, Spanish
Record 3, Campo(s) temático(s)
- Matemáticas
- Técnicas de agrimensura
- Geografía matemática
- Teledetección
Record 3, Main entry term, Spanish
- línea geodésica
1, record 3, Spanish, l%C3%ADnea%20geod%C3%A9sica
correct, feminine noun
Record 3, Abbreviations, Spanish
Record 3, Synonyms, Spanish
Record 3, Textual support, Spanish
Record number: 3, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Línea, en una superficie, que determina el camino más corto entre dos puntos de la misma. 1, record 3, Spanish, - l%C3%ADnea%20geod%C3%A9sica
Record 4 - internal organization data 2002-02-12
Record 4, English
Record 4, Subject field(s)
- Flight Instruments and Equipment (Aeroindustry)
- Air Navigation Aids
Record 4, Main entry term, English
- baseline
1, record 4, English, baseline
correct, NATO, standardized
Record 4, Abbreviations, English
Record 4, Synonyms, English
- base line 2, record 4, English, base%20line
correct
Record 4, Textual support, English
Record number: 4, Textual support number: 1 DEF
In radio navigation, the shorter arc of the great circle joining two radio transmitting stations of a navigation system. 1, record 4, English, - baseline
Record number: 4, Textual support number: 1 OBS
baseline: term and definition standardized by NATO. 3, record 4, English, - baseline
Record number: 4, Textual support number: 2 OBS
base line: term extracted from the "Disarmament and Peace Keeping" glossary with the permission of the united Nations Office at Geneva. 4, record 4, English, - baseline
Record 4, French
Record 4, Domaine(s)
- Instruments et équipement de bord (Constructions aéronautiques)
- Aides à la navigation aérienne
Record 4, Main entry term, French
- base de radionavigation
1, record 4, French, base%20de%20radionavigation
correct, feminine noun, NATO, standardized
Record 4, Abbreviations, French
Record 4, Synonyms, French
- base géodésique 2, record 4, French, base%20g%C3%A9od%C3%A9sique
correct, feminine noun
- base de triangulation 2, record 4, French, base%20de%20triangulation
correct, feminine noun
Record 4, Textual support, French
Record number: 4, Textual support number: 1 DEF
En radionavigation, plus petit arc d'un grand cercle joignant deux stations émettrices d'un réseau de radionavigation. 3, record 4, French, - base%20de%20radionavigation
Record number: 4, Textual support number: 1 OBS
base de radionavigation : terme et définition normalisés par l'OTAN. 4, record 4, French, - base%20de%20radionavigation
Record number: 4, Textual support number: 2 OBS
base de radionavigation; base géodésique; base de triangulation : termes tirés du lexique «Désarmement et Maintien de la Paix» avec l'autorisation de l'Office des Nations Unies à Genève. 5, record 4, French, - base%20de%20radionavigation
Record 4, Spanish
Record 4, Campo(s) temático(s)
- Instrumentos y equipo de vuelo (Industria aeronáutica)
- Ayuda para la navegación aérea
Record 4, Main entry term, Spanish
- línea base
1, record 4, Spanish, l%C3%ADnea%20base
feminine noun
Record 4, Abbreviations, Spanish
Record 4, Synonyms, Spanish
Record 4, Textual support, Spanish
Record number: 4, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Menor de los arcos de círculo máximo definido por dos estaciones emisoras de un sistema de navegación. 1, record 4, Spanish, - l%C3%ADnea%20base
Copyright notice for the TERMIUM Plus® data bank
© Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2026
TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank
A product of the Translation Bureau
Features
GCtranslate (available on the Government of Canada network only)
Use this artificial intelligence prototype to translate Government of Canada content up to and including Protected B. Available to employees of selected departments and agencies only.
Writing tools
The Language Portal’s writing tools have a new look! Easy to consult, they give you access to a wealth of information that will help you write better in English and French.
Glossaries and vocabularies
Access Translation Bureau glossaries and vocabularies.
- Date Modified:


