kilo

1 of 3

noun

ki·​lo ˈkē-(ˌ)lō 

also

ˈki- 

plural kilos

: a unit of mass or weight equaling one thousand grams or approximately 2.2 pounds : kilogram

Each sack weighs 50 kilos.

Did you know … that it takes a lobster between five and seven years to grow to a weight of half a kilo, the minimum size it should reach before being fished?

—Food & Drink

When he finally strips off the kilos of gold enveloping his body, Deion is as light as a feather.

—Curry Kirkpatrick

Gathering in Versailles, west of Paris, governments are expected on Friday to approve plans to instead use a scientific formulation to define the exact mass of a kilo.

—John Leicester

Kilo

2 of 3

communications code word

—used as a code word for the letter k

kilo-

3 of 3

combining form

: thousand

kiloton

Examples of kilo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In total, authorities seized 11 guns and more than one kilo of methamphetamine, 200 pounds of the hallucinogenic drug DMT, five pounds of marijuana, 15 kilos of hashish and hashish oil, one kilo of MDMA or ecstasy, 19,000 doses of LSD, as well as other drugs including fentanyl and cocaine. —Kevin Grasha, The Enquirer, 25 Sep. 2024

The rocket projectile itself weighs around 4 pounds / 1.8 kilos, and of this perhaps half or 2 pounds / 0.9 kilos is the warhead. —David Hambling, Forbes, 25 Sep. 2024

She was later arrested in Chula Vista with kilos of methamphetamine in her car, according to federal authorities. —Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2024

The body, in fact, is not dead at all, and belongs to a gabby, nervous wreck of a kid (Austin Abrams), who happens to be carrying four kilos of heroine in his book bag. —Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Combining form

French, modification of Greek chilioi

First Known Use

Noun

1870, in the meaning defined above

Communications Code Word

1952, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

kilo

1 of 2 noun

ki·​lo ˈkē-(ˌ)lō 

plural kilos

: kilogram

kilo-

2 of 2 combining form

: thousand

kiloton

Etymology

Combining form

derived from Greek chilioi "thousand"