kilowatt-hour

[kil-uh-wot-ouuhr, -ou-er]

noun

1. a unit of energy, equivalent to the energy transferred or expended in one hour by one kilowatt of power; approximately 1.34 horsepower-hours. kWh, K.W.H., kwhr

kilowatt-hour

noun

1. kWh. a unit of energy equal to the work done by a power of 1000 watts in one hour

kilowatt-hour

1. A unit used to measure energy, especially electrical energy in commercial applications. One kilowatt-hour is equal to one kilowatt of power produced or consumed over a period of one hour, or 3.6 × 10 ⁶ joules.

kilowatt-hour

1. A unit of energy: the expenditure of one kilowatt of power for one hour. A toaster running for an hour will use about this much energy.

Word History and Origins

Origin of kilowatt-hour¹

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

California now has the nation’s second-highest residential electricity prices at 31.9 cents a kilowatt-hour in 2024, almost double the national price of 16.5 cents.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The average electricity price in U.S. cities sits at roughly 19 cents per kilowatt-hour External link, up 43% since the end of 2019, 18 percentage points greater than the jump in overall consumer prices.

Read more on Barron's

Average U.S. city electricity prices are 19 cents per kilowatt-hour, a 43% increase since late 2019.

Read more on Barron's

Average U.S. city electricity prices are 19 cents per kilowatt-hour, a 43% increase since late 2019.

Read more on Barron's

The average electricity price in U.S. cities sits at roughly 19 cents per kilowatt-hour External link, up 43% since the end of 2019, 18 percentage points greater than the jump in overall consumer prices.

Read more on Barron's