A furlong is a unit of distance that is equal to 1/8 of a mile, or 220 yards. It is commonly used in horse racing and agriculture to measure distances on tracks and fields. The term originates from the Old English words "furh," meaning furrow, and "lang," meaning long, referring to the length of a plowed field. In modern measurements, a furlong is equivalent to approximately 201.17 meters. While it is not widely used in everyday life, it remains significant in specific contexts, particularly in the sport of horse racing, where races are often measured in furlongs, such as the famous Kentucky Derby.