kilogram

noun

ki·lo·gram | \ ˈkē-lə-ˌgram

Definition of kilogram

1 : the base unit of mass in the International System of Units that is equal to the mass of a prototype agreed upon by international convention and that is nearly equal to the mass of 1000 cubic centimeters of water at the temperature of its maximum density — see Metric System Table

2 : a unit of force or weight equal to the weight of a kilogram mass under a gravitational attraction equal to that of the earth

Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about kilogram

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Did You Know?

The original concept of the kilogram, as the mass of a cubic decimeter of water (a bit more than a quart), was adopted as the base unit of mass by the new revolutionary government of France in 1793. In 1875, in the Treaty of the Meter, 17 countries, including the U.S., adopted the French kilogram as an international standard. In 1889 a new international standard for the kilogram, a metal bar made of platinum iridium, was agreed to; President Benjamin Harrison officially received the 1-kilogram cylinder for the U.S. in 1890. But no one uses that bar very often; for all practical purposes, a kilogram equals 2.2 pounds.

Examples of kilogram in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But more than that, Chara is showing what’s possible by pushing the limits, by maximizing every exercise and repetition and kilogram, by playing with those patterns until the whole damn puzzle is solved. — Alex Prewitt, SI.com, "The Legend of Z: Zdeno Chara Remains Obsessed in His Pursuit of Outsized Excellence," 3 Apr. 2018 Unlike rhino horns, which are shipped in relatively small volumes, traffickers typically collect and ship at least half a ton of ivory, or 500 kilograms, in a container. — Gina Kolata, New York Times, "In Africa, Geneticists Are Hunting Poachers," 8 Jan. 2018 The average wholesale price of Chinese pork, excluding offal, is 20.94 yuan ($3.04) a kilogram, up 24% since May, according to China’s Ministry of Commerce. — Jacob Bunge, WSJ, "Pork Producers Are Hog Wild About the U.S.-China Trade Truce," 3 Dec. 2018 The ideal pack weighs no more than 7 kilograms (about 15.4 pounds), with water adding an additional 3 kilograms (about 6.6 pounds), says Mariash. — Jenny Mccoy, SELF, "Pro Ultrarunner Jax Mariash Explains What It’s Like to Train for the 170-Mile Grand 2 Grand Ultra," 20 Sep. 2018 But as anti-poaching measures there improved and the price of rhino horn kept soaring, to tens of thousands of dollars a kilogram, the poachers began expanding into new territory. — Jason Florio, Smithsonian, "The Dangerous Work of Relocating 5,000-Pound Rhinos," 22 May 2018 Without the duty, an exporter may lose about 10 rupees (15 cents) a kilogram at current global prices, Verma said. — Pratik Parija, Bloomberg.com, "India Sugar Exports May Climb to Four-Year High on Record Output," 7 Mar. 2018 The kilogram is the world’s standard unit of mass, recognized universally, even in the United States. — Brian Resnick, Vox, "10 science stories in 2018 that made us go, “Whoa, that’s awesome”," 18 Dec. 2018 Lovot even weighs roughly the same as a human toddler, around 6.6 pounds or three kilograms, and channels the heat created by its processing chip to its skin. — James Vincent, The Verge, "Japan’s latest home robot isn’t useful — it’s designed to be loved," 20 Dec. 2018

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