kilo-

¹ 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 ² American  

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

noun

PLURAL

kilos

1. kilogram.

2. kilometer.

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

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kilo ¹ British  

/ ˈkiːləʊ /

noun

1. short for kilogram kilometre

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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. communications a code word for the letter k

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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.

Etymology

Origin of kilo-¹

< French, representing Greek chī́lioi a thousand

Origin of kilo¹

First recorded in 1865–70; shortened form

Example Sentences

But a few stubborn kilos just wouldn't budge.

From BBC

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

From BBC

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

From Los Angeles Times

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

From 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.

From BBC