calorie

noun

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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 Long before frozen PowerBars were breaking the teeth of outdoor enthusiasts, Native people were making a much more chewable (and calorie dense) food for cold weather travel and emergencies. — Tim Macwelch, Outdoor Life, "10 Uses for Animal Fat in the Wild," 20 Jan. 2021 Geriatric pets often need foods that are more readily digested, have different calorie levels and ingredients, and include anti-aging nutrients. — Tribune News Service, Star Tribune, "Caring for your senior dog," 8 Jan. 2021 That includes satiating and calorie-dense fats like olive oil, avocados, nuts, and seeds. — Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, "What Is the F-Factor Diet? Here’s What You Need to Know," 4 Jan. 2021 The guidelines urge the nation to consume less sugar, saturated fat, sodium and alcohol, and to limit calorie intake. — Roni Caryn Rabin, BostonGlobe.com, "US diet guidelines sidestep scientific advice to cut sugar and alcohol," 30 Dec. 2020 In Wales, Louise Phillips, a consultant pediatrician at Glan Clwyd Hospital, said part of her facility’s treatment involved removing applications, such as calorie counters, from a patient’s phone. — Washington Post, "Pediatricians in U.K. see rise in eating disorders during pandemic, survey shows," 29 Dec. 2020 This extra calorie requirement is necessary for growth. — Terezie Tolar-peterson, The Conversation, "Whether slow or fast, here’s how your metabolism influences how many calories you burn each day," 28 Dec. 2020 In fact, the Watch’s focus on closing the calorie ring probably hurt. — Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, "First Look: Apple’s New Fitness+ Streaming Workouts," 14 Dec. 2020 Users will get personalized weight recommendations and tracked calorie burn stats, too. — Hanna Horvath, NBC News, "Best home gyms and home gym systems, according to experts," 10 Dec. 2020

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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Last Updated

13 Feb 2021

Cite this Entry

“Calorie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calorie. Accessed 4 Mar. 2021.

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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