kilowatt-hour

noun

kilo·​watt-hour ˈki-lə-ˌwät-ˈau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce kilowatt-hour (audio)
ˈkē-lə-
: a unit of work or energy equal to that expended by one kilowatt in one hour or to 3.6 million joules

Examples of kilowatt-hour in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That means many households will be paying more per kilowatt-hour at the same time air conditioners are running longer and harder, a combination that can quickly drive up summer statements. Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 30 June 2026 It is expected to generate an average of 54 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 June 2026 Bloomberg New Energy Finance found that new lithium-ion battery pack prices for stationary storage fell to roughly $70 per kilowatt-hour in 2025, a decline of about 45% from the previous year. Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026 Every kilowatt-hour of electricity consumed by AI data centers should be matched by new, clean energy added to the same grid at the same time. Patricia J. Kissinger, STAT, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for kilowatt-hour

Word History

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kilowatt-hour was in 1892

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kilowatt-hour.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kilowatt-hour. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

kilowatt-hour

noun
: a unit of work or energy equal to that expended by one kilowatt in one hour and equal to 3.6 million joules

Medical Definition

kilowatt-hour

noun
: a unit of work or energy equal to that expended by one kilowatt in one hour
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