kilogram
Americannoun
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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
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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
noun
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one thousand grams
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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
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The basic unit of mass in the metric system, equal to 1,000 grams (2.2 pounds).
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See Table at measurement
Etymology
Origin of kilogram
From the French word kilogramme, dating back to 1790–1800. See kilo-, -gram 2
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.
"Today, the kilogram is defined on the basis of fundamental constants using an electromechanical device that compares electric current to mass," St-Jean explained.
From Science Daily
Sponsors organized hair and makeup sessions in the Olympic villages, which went through an average of 365 kilograms of pasta and 10,000 eggs a day.
From Los Angeles Times
Osaka has received an unusual donation -- 21 kilograms of gold -- to pay for the maintenance of its ageing water system, the Japanese commercial hub announced Thursday.
From Barron's
“So, I made sure to intake my proteins and my meals so that I was able to gain two-three kilograms this offseason.”
From Los Angeles Times
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
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
