kilogram

American  

[kil-uh-gram] / ˈkɪl əˌgræm /

especially British, kilogramme

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 British  

/ 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 Scientific  

/ kĭl′ə-grăm′ /

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

2. See Table at measurement

---

kilogram Cultural  

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.

---

Etymology

Origin of kilogram

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

Example Sentences

Even at that distance, the comet was losing water at a rate of about 40 kilograms per second, comparable to water blasting from a fully opened fire hose.

From Science Daily

Thai authorities arrested a man for allegedly smuggling more than 11 kilograms of rhino horns inside wrapped meat, in a case officials linked on Tuesday to an international wildlife trafficking network.

From Barron's

January’s average price was a record high at nearly $1,572 a kilogram, according to Argus Media.

From The Wall Street Journal

Each hybrid or electric vehicle motor contains between 1.2 and 3.5 kilograms of rare earths, according to an estimate by France's Bureau of Geological and Mining Research.

From Barron's

New dietary guidelines urge Americans to prioritize the nutrient at every meal and consume 1.2 to 1.6 grams of it daily for every kilogram of body weight, up from a prior recommendation of 0.8 grams.

From The Wall Street Journal