Definition of calorie
calories
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 calorieb : 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 bodyb : an amount of food having an energy-producing value of one large calorie
Read the Latest from M-W
Recent Examples of calorie from the Web
-
A turkey fresco sub at Potbelly has 720 calories, and a chicken burrito from Chipotle can pack more than 1,000.
-
A turkey fresco sub at Potbelly has 720 calories, and a chicken burrito from Chipotle can pack more than 1,000.
-
The high-intensity interval training that challenges the heart rate while burning calories combined with a schedule that keeps things interesting by mixing up workouts each day yields results that other exercises or routines don’t, Fearer explained.
-
Turns out, the doctor’s book is all about a vegetarian regimen, a program that could provide half the calories of meat while consuming twice the volume.
-
This exercise requires your core to do multiple things at once, maximizing calorie burn and promoting extreme muscle confusion.
-
These nacho-flavored stuffed bell peppers have almost 7 grams of protein (and only 72 calories) per pepper.
-
Potizza is a high-calorie pastry served in Slovenia.
-
The devices, which cover a wide range of shininess and costliness, do not take accurate measurements of calories lost, according to a new study from Stanford Medicine.
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.
Origin and Etymology of calorie
French calorie, from Latin calor heat, from calēre to be warm — more at lee
First Known Use: 1866
Other Weights and Measures Terms
CALORIE Defined for English Language Learners
calorie
playDefinition of calorie for English Language Learners
-
: a unit of heat used to indicate the amount of energy that foods will produce in the human body
CALORIE Defined for Kids
calorie
playDefinition of calorie for Students
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
Medical Dictionary
calorie
Medical Definition of calorie
calories
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 calorieb: 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 bodyb: an amount of food having an energy-producing value of one large calorie
Learn More about calorie
-
See words that rhyme with calorie Spanish Central: Translation of calorie Nglish: Translation of calorie for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of calorie for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about calorie
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up calorie? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!