kilo-

views updated May 17 2018

kilo- A prefix indicating a multiple of 103 (1000), as in kilogram and kilowatt; the symbol for kilo- should then be k (not K), as in kg and kW. When the binary number system is used in a structure or process (as in semiconductor RAM or ROM), kilo- then indicates a multiple of 210 (1024), as in kilobyte and kilobit; the symbols k and K are both commonly used, as in kB or KB (symbols for kilobyte). The context usually clarifies which meaning of kilo- is intended, although being numerically close the meanings are often considered more or less equivalent. However, special care should be taken to disambiguate the intended meaning of this prefix when telecommunications and computing are both at issue. See also binary prefixes.

kilo-

views updated Jun 27 2018

kilo- From the Greek khilioi, meaning ‘thousand’, a prefix (symbol k) used with SI units to denote the unit ×103.

kilo-

views updated May 29 2018

kilo- — F. (1795), arbitrarily f. Gr. khílioi thousand, in weights and measures, as kilogramme (abbrev. kilo), kilometre;
hence in kilowatt.

kilo-

views updated Jun 08 2018

kilo- • comb. form (used commonly in units of measurement) denoting a factor of 1,000: kilojoule kiloliter.

kilo-

views updated May 18 2018

kilo- Symbol k. A prefix used in the metric system to denote 1000 times. For example, 1000 volts = 1 kilovolt (kV).

kilo-

views updated Jun 11 2018

kilo- prefix denoting a thousand.