kiloton

noun ki·lo·ton \ ˈki-lə-ˌtən also -ˌtän \

|Updated on: 13 Jun 2018

Definition of kiloton

1 : 1000 tons

2 : an explosive force equivalent to that of 1000 tons of TNT

Recent Examples of kiloton from the Web

These nuclear powered submarines each carry sixteen Bulava submarine launched ballistic missiles, each with a range of 5,800 miles and armed with six 150 kiloton nuclear warheads.

— kyle mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "Here Are All the Submarines of the Russian Navy in One Infographic," 19 Apr. 2018
In comparison, the American nuclear bomb detonated over Hiroshima in 1945 had a yield of about 15 kilotons of energy.

— anna fifield, Washington Post, "North Korea expected to close nuclear test site, despite squabbles," 24 May 2018
In comparison, the American nuclear bomb detonated over Hiroshima in 1945 had a yield of about 15 kilotons of energy.

— anna fifield, Anchorage Daily News, "North Korea declares its nuclear test site closed after a ‘huge explosion’," 24 May 2018
The researchers estimated that the strength of the explosion was about 120 to 304 kilotons, or 10 times that dropped on Hiroshima, according to a statement.

— yasemin saplakoglu, Scientific American, "Nuclear Bomb Test Moved North Korea Mountain," 14 May 2018
The yield of the bomb was estimated at more than 100 kilotons of TNT, at least 10 times stronger than anything the North had tested previously.

— christopher bodeen, USA TODAY, "Chinese geologists say North Korea nuclear test site collapsed, may explain end of program," 25 Apr. 2018
Oddly, the final setting of the nuke in The Strain is 15 kilotons, which the protagonists say is enough to take out a skyscraper but spare the city.

— joe pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "Hollywood Has No Idea How Nukes Work," 2 Apr. 2018
Analysis of the seismic data suggested that the explosion's yield was as high as 250 kilotons, almost 17 times that of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, in 1945.

— adam taylor, Washington Post, "North Korea’s mountain mystery: Is Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site still functional?," 25 Apr. 2018
By way of comparison, the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima was 16 kilotons, or the equivalent of 16,000 tons of TNT.

— kyle mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "Pentagon Document Confirms Existence of Russian Doomsday Torpedo," 16 Jan. 2018

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

First Known Use of kiloton

1950

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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