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).
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Origin of kilo-
< French, representing Greek chī́lioi a thousand
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
kilo-
- denoting 10³ (1000)kilometre Symbol: k
- (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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Word Origin
from French, from Greek khilioi thousand
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for kilo-
word-forming element meaning "one thousand," introduced in French 1795, when the metric system was officially adopted there, from Greek khilioi "thousand," of unknown origin.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
kilo-
- One thousand (103):kilogram.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
kilo-
- A prefix that means:
- One thousand, as in kilowatt, one thousand watts.
- 210 (that is, 1,024), which is the power of 2 closest to 1,000, as in kilobyte.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.