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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

Graciela Zuleta, an Indigenous vegetable vendor, now asks $1.10 for a kilo of tomatoes to cover her costs, up from $0.40 before the crisis.

From Barron's ● May 20, 2026

A kilo of unshelled pistachios has surged fourfold month-on-month since mid-January.

From Barron's ● Jan. 20, 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

He told the BBC he charged $150 per kilo.

From BBC ● Dec. 11, 2025

How could I spend thirty cents on a kilo of beef roast, when I could get twice as many potatoes for a fifth of that price?

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

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

As a result, "six to eight million kilos" are stuck in Mombasa, he told AFP.

From Barron's ● Mar. 27, 2026

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

From Science Daily ● Feb. 25, 2026

Their 2026 car has been a disappointment so far, overweight by a significant margin - said to be anywhere between 25 and 40 kilos - and lacking downforce.

From BBC ● Feb. 20, 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

She was easily two hundred and twenty-five kilos big and two meters tall, and her fur was stained a yellowish white from being off the ice for so long.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz