kilo

¹

[kee-loh, kil-oh]

noun

plural

kilos 

1. kilogram.

2. kilometer.

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

kilo-

²

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 ).

kilo

¹

/ ˈkiːləʊ /

noun

1. short for kilogram kilometre

kilo

²

/ ˈkiːləʊ /

noun

1. communications a code word for the letter k

kilo-

³

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

kilo–

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of kilo¹

First recorded in 1865–70; shortened form

Origin of kilo²

< French, representing Greek chī́lioi a thousand

Word History and Origins

Origin of kilo¹

from French, from Greek khilioi thousand

Example Sentences

A kilo of chicken, for example, costs about four times the official monthly minimum wage.

Read more on BBC

About 50 workers were extracting up to a kilo of gold a day, guarded by 150 sicarios, or hit men.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

An aircraft can use thousands of kilos of extra fuel if its centre of gravity shifts by just a small amount.

Read more on BBC

"With all the media hype and social media buzz, these drugs have become something of a craze among affluent Indians eager to shed a few kilos," says Dr Baxi.

Read more on BBC

At the time of her arrest, she was in possession of around a kilo of melted-down gold.

Read more on BBC

When To Use

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.