calorie

noun

cal·o·rie | \ˈka-lə-rē,

ˈkal-rē\

variants: or less commonly calory

plural calories

Definition of calorie

1a : the amount of heat required at a pressure of one atmosphere to raise the temperature of one gram of water one degree Celsius that is equal to about 4.19 joules —abbreviation cal

— called also gram calorie, small calorie

b : the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water one degree Celsius : 1000 gram calories or 3.968 Btu —abbreviation Cal

— called also large calorie

2a : a unit equivalent to the large calorie expressing heat-producing or energy-producing value in food when oxidized in the body

b : an amount of food having an energy-producing value of one large calorie

Examples of calorie in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

With flavors under 300 calories per pint, @halotopcreamery is the perfect guilt-free treat. — Stacey Leasca, Southern Living, "The Best Days to Go Grocery Shopping," 2 June 2018 On the flipside, cauliflower contains just 27 calories per cup and it's packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. — Jaclyn London, Ms, Rd, Cdn, Good Housekeeping, "It's Official: Cauliflower Is Just as Good for You as Colorful Veggies," 31 May 2018 Protein and carbohydrates contain about four calories per gram, fats contain nine, and alcohol contains seven. — Dylan Mackay, SELF, "Here's How to Tell If You Should Be Tracking Your Macros," 14 May 2018 Those guidelines set a cap of 200 calories per snack. — Wilborn P. Nobles Iii, NOLA.com, "Louisiana House passes bill allowing school nurses to carry, administer opioid overdose antidote," 18 Apr. 2018 Ben & Jerry's has launched new Moo-phoria Light Ice Cream, which is 140-160 calories per serving. — Doreen Christensen, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Free ice cream cones at Ben & Jerry's on April 10," 6 Apr. 2018 One of Porcari’s studies found that the average boot-camper expended about 10 calories per minute during the training—not quite as much as someone would burn running at a fast pace, but about as much as one would while cycling or swimming. — Markham Heid, Time, "The Scientific Reason Boot Camp Workouts Are So Good For You," 2 Apr. 2018 The brand's new spiral noodles, which hit freezer aisles this month, are made from zucchini, carrots, butternut squash, and beets, which all clock in at just 15 to 50 calories per serving. — Jessica Mattern, Woman's Day, "Green Giant's Frozen Spiralized Veggies Are Officially Hitting Grocery Stores This Month," 10 Jan. 2018 The protein-packed, fiber-rich beans can be used as a substitute for eggs and oil; when paired with a brownie box mix, the treats end up being just 105 calories per serving. — Jessica Leigh Mattern, Country Living, "If You Want to Make Your Brownies Healthier, Bake Them with Black Beans," 19 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'calorie.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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count calories

watching/counting one's calories

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Last Updated

9 Oct 2018

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Time Traveler for calorie

The first known use of calorie was in 1866

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More Definitions for calorie

calorie

noun

English Language Learners Definition of calorie

: a unit of heat used to indicate the amount of energy that foods will produce in the human body

See the full definition for calorie in the English Language Learners Dictionary

calorie

noun

cal·o·rie | \ˈka-lə-rē,

ˈkal-rē\

Kids Definition of calorie

1 : a unit for measuring heat equal to the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one gram of water one degree Celsius

2 : a unit of heat used to indicate the amount of energy foods produce in the human body that is equal to 1000 calories

calorie

noun

cal·o·rie

variants: also calory \ˈkal-(ə-)rē

plural calories

Medical Definition of calorie

1a : the amount of heat required at a pressure of one atmosphere to raise the temperature of one gram of water one degree Celsius that is equal to about 4.19 joules —abbreviation cal

— called also gram calorie, small calorie

b : the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water one degree Celsius that is equal to 1000 gram calories or 3.968 Btu —abbreviation Cal

— called also kilocalorie, kilogram calorie, large calorie

2a : a unit equivalent to the large calorie expressing heat-producing or energy-producing value in food when oxidized in the body

b : an amount of food having an energy-producing value of one large calorie