kilogram

especially British, kil·o·gramme

[kil-uh-gram]

noun

1. a unit of mass equal to 1,000 grams: the basic unit of mass in the International System of Units (SI). Up until 2019 the kilogram was defined as equal to the mass of an international prototype, a platinum-iridium cylinder kept in Sèvres, France. The kilogram has since been redefined in terms of universal physical constants, including the speed of light and Planck's constant. kg

2. a unit of force and weight, equal to the force that produces an acceleration of 9.80665 meters per second per second when acting on a mass of one kilogram. kg

kilogram

/ ˈkɪləʊˌɡræm /

noun

1. one thousand grams

2. the basic SI unit of mass, equal to the mass of the international prototype held by the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures. One kilogram is equivalent to 2.204 62 pounds

kilogram

1. The basic unit of mass in the metric system, equal to 1,000 grams (2.2 pounds).

2. See Table at measurement

kilogram

1. A unit of mass in the metric system, equal to one thousand grams. The weight of a one-kilogram mass is slightly over two pounds.

Word History and Origins

Origin of kilogram¹

From the French word kilogramme, dating back to 1790–1800. See kilo-, -gram ²

Example Sentences

To buy a kilogram of tomatoes, a Venezuelan needs the equivalent of one US dollar.

Read more on Barron's

"Just 15 to 20 years ago, sending a kilogram into space cost $60,000," Bonnet told AFP.

Read more on Barron's

The drug was studied in children of at least 10 kilograms in weight, or about 2 years of age.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The goal is to harvest more than 500 kilograms by 2028-2029.

Read more on Science Daily

According to the study, manufacturing one ton of bamboo tissue in China produces about 2,400 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent, compared to 1,824 kgCO2eq/ton for wood-based tissue made in the United States.

Read more on Science Daily