kilogram

noun ki·lo·gram \ ˈkē-lə-ˌgram , ˈki-lə- \

Updated on: 21 May 2018

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

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Recent Examples of kilogram from the Web

The company claims to have conducted more than 1,000 passenger test flights as high as 300 meters, as far as 15 kilometers, as fast as 130 kph and, at times, carrying more than 230 kilograms.

— larry greenemeier, Scientific American, "Here's What's Needed for Self-Flying Taxis and Delivery Drones to Really Take Off," 15 May 2018
More than 190 kilograms of methamphetamine were seized, as well as 31 firearms and approximately $376,587 in cash.

— anne branigin, The Root, "White Supremacist Gangs Are Getting Busted for Trafficking Drugs, but You Won’t Hear Trump Say Shhhhh ... About It," 1 May 2018
In one case, the EHR allowed a clinician to record a child’s weight in kilograms rather than pounds, which could have led to dangerous overdoses of medications that are measured out by weight.

— rachel becker, The Verge, "How badly designed electronic health records can put patients in danger," 28 Mar. 2018
Up to 500 kilograms of hookah tobacco was sent each day to buyers in Germany, France and the Netherlands, according to a statement by Bulgarian prosecutors.

— georgi kantchev, WSJ, "Terrorism Case Highlights Risk of Returning Fighters Funding ISIS," 21 Mar. 2018
The bulky bundle of latches — more than 3 feet, or a meter, long and weighing more than 440 pounds, or 200 kilograms — needed to be replaced because of wear and tear.

— marcia dunn, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Spacewalking astronauts give new hand to robot arm," 24 Jan. 2018
The duchess and husband Prince William drove to St. Mary’s Hospital in London early in the morning, and Kate’s 8 pound, 7 ounce (3.8 kilogram) boy was born at 11:01 a.m., with royal officials announcing the birth about two hours later.

— sylvia hui, The Seattle Times, "Prince charming: Kate gives birth to boy, home by suppertime," 23 Apr. 2018
The cells, which include types of stem cells, are then isolated and administered intravenously at a dose depending on the patients’ weight, either 6 million or 10 million cells per kilogram.

— andrew joseph, STAT, "In a bid to promote stem cell therapies, health officials open a new door for promising contenders," 13 Apr. 2018
On average across Europe today, fertilizer contains about 32 milligrams of cadmium per kilogram (mg Cd/kg) of phosphorus, but the level can be as high as 200 mg Cd/kg, depending on where the phosphate rock is mined.

— natasha gilbert, Science | AAAS, "European Union debates controversial plans to limit cadmium in fertilizer," 10 Apr. 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.

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.

Origin and Etymology of kilogram

French kilogramme, from kilo- + gramme gram

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1797

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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KILOGRAM Defined for English Language Learners

kilogram

noun

Definition of kilogram for English Language Learners

: a unit of weight equal to 1,000 grams

KILOGRAM Defined for Kids

kilogram

noun ki·lo·gram \ ˈki-lə-ˌgram \

Definition of kilogram for Students

: a metric unit of weight equal to 1000 grams

Medical Dictionary

kilogram

noun ki·lo·gram

variants: or chiefly British kilogramme play \ˈkil-ə-ˌgram, ˈkē-lə-\

medical Definition of kilogram

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

Learn More about kilogram

See words that rhyme with kilogram Spanish Central: Translation of kilogram Nglish: Translation of kilogram for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of kilogram for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about kilogram

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kilogram

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KILOGRAM Defined for English Language Learners

kilogram

Definition of kilogram for English Language Learners

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kilogram

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kilogram

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kilogram

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