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kilowatt

American  
[kil-uh-wot] / ˈkɪl əˌwɒt /

noun

  1. a unit of power, equal to 1000 watts. kW, kw


kilowatt British  
/ ˈkɪləʊˌwɒt /

noun

  1.  kW.  one thousand watts

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

kilowatt Scientific  
/ kĭlə-wŏt′ /
  1. A unit of power equal to 1,000 watts.


kilowatt Cultural  
  1. One thousand watts. (See power.)


Etymology

Origin of kilowatt

First recorded in 1880–85; kilo- + watt

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Daiwa expects the blended tariff cut of around 0.03 yuan per kilowatt hour to weigh on margins this year, leading to over 20% drop in the company’s core earnings.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

They found that some hydropower plants give off small amounts of planet-heating gases, while in some extreme cases, emissions can be “greater than those from coal-fired power plants” per kilowatt of electricity generated.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

"You're literally putting in one unit of energy, one kilowatt hour, and getting three out," Fitton tells me.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

The average EV can drive about 33 miles per kilowatt hour, according to Electric Choice, an energy marketplace run by a consulting firm.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 6, 2026

Making them bigger makes them take less mass per kilowatt hour of storage.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir