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• kilo
  kilo

  noun

  kilogram.
• kilo-
  kilo-

  a Greek combining form meaning “thousand,” introduced from French in the nomenclature of the metric system (kiloliter ); on this model, used in the formation of compound words in other scientific measurements (kilowatt ).
• kilo–
  kilo–

  A prefix that means:

kilo

¹ American  

[kee-loh, kil-oh] / ˈki loʊ, ˈkɪl oʊ /

noun

• kilos
  plural

1. kilogram.

2. kilometer.

3. (a word used in communications to represent the letterK. )

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kilo- ² American  

1. a Greek combining form meaning “thousand,” introduced from French in the nomenclature of the metric system (kiloliter ); on this model, used in the formation of compound words in other scientific measurements (kilowatt ).

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kilo ¹ British  

/ ˈkiːləʊ /

noun

1. communications a code word for the letter k

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kilo- ² British  

prefix

1.  k.  denoting 10³ (1000)

   kilometre

2. (in computer technology) denoting 2 ¹⁰ (1024): kilobyte: in computer usage, kilo- is restricted to sizes of storage (e.g. kilobit ) when it means 1024; in other computer contexts it retains its usual meaning of 1000

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kilo ³ British  

/ ˈkiːləʊ /

noun

1. short for kilogram kilometre

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kilo– Scientific  

1. A prefix that means:

2. One thousand, as in kilowatt, one thousand watts.

3. 2 ¹⁰ (that is, 1,024), which is the power of 2 closest to 1,000, as in kilobyte.

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Usage

What does kilo- mean? Kilo- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “thousand.” It is often used in units of measure. Kilo- comes from Greek chī́lioi, meaning “a thousand.” The Latin translation of chī́lioi is mille, “a thousand,” which is the source of English terms such as millennium and millipede. To learn more, check out our entries for both words.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• kilos
  plural

Etymology

Origin of kilo¹

First recorded in 1865–70; shortened form

Origin of kilo-²

< French, representing Greek chī́lioi a thousand

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kilo kilo- kilos

At the time people waited in line for hours to buy a half kilo of coffee or sugar.

From Barron's ● Mar. 6, 2026

In October, just ahead of his re-election, President Alassane Ouattara announced himself that authorities were setting the price at a record high of 2,800 CFA francs a kilo.

From Barron's ● Mar. 4, 2026

"Just two months ago, beef was 7m rials per kilo," says Mina, a 44-year-old mother of two in Tehran.

From BBC ● Feb. 26, 2026

"In these two-and-a-half months I haven't loaded even a single kilo of cargo. Work has come to a standstill," he said.

From Barron's ● Jan. 4, 2026

I hesitate and take away one of the kilo sacks of fine flour—the kind I haven’t seen outside a bakery since 1941—and a bottle of aspirin.

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron

More private languages and more codes than ever circulate as kilo- and megabytes among individuals escaping any form of regulation.

From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Mihai Nadin

Several processing stages later, 99.99 percent pure copper plates, each weighing more than a hundred kilos, are shipped all over the world.

From Barron's ● Apr. 3, 2026

"They also lost two kilos in weight on average and their blood pressure fell slightly."

From Science Daily ● Feb. 25, 2026

On the trading floor of precious-metals group Heraeus in Hanau, Germany, Dominik Sperzel is fielding calls from investors hunting for silver bars—ranging from the smallest, one troy ounce, to the largest, 15 kilos.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 1, 2026

Stevens has collected an estimated thousand kilos of used candles from cathedrals, churches and charity shops, so he can personally deliver them to the frontline.

From BBC ● Jan. 20, 2026

“One special thing, just one each, girls. We can only take ten kilos apiece.”

From "Before We Were Free" by Julia Alvarez