The village is located about 160 km east of Palermo and about 35 kilometres (22 mi) west of Messina.

The village is in the Municipality of Rodì Milici, and borders the following municipalities: Antillo, Castroreale, Fondachelli-Fantina, Mazzarrà Sant'Andrea, Novara di Sicilia, Terme Vigliatore.

As to its name, it has been suggested to be derived from the Akkadian mil- , a flooding river, and –ki, a locality suffix (G. Tripodi.

Some archaic toponyms of Middle Eastern origin in Western Europe.

The village is indeed located close to a river of such a type, nearby an area with Bronze Age ruins.