What does kilogramme mean?
A kilogramme is a metric unit of mass equal to 1,000 grams, equivalent to approximately 2.205 pounds. The kilogram is the base unit used for mass in the International System of Units, but it is not the largest metric unit; tonnes and tonnes of laboratory and commercial measurement are more suitable for greater masses. In everyday British English, the word is commonly shortened to “kilo,” as in “a kilo of potatoes,” while the spelling “kilogram” predominates in the United States. The international symbol, kg, is used in scientific, commercial, and regulatory contexts and is not capitalized. Because the unit is internationally standardized, kilogrammes and kilograms have exactly the same mass wherever they are used, regardless of spelling or location. The term is especially common in recipes, shipping, retail pricing, sport, and scientific measurement.
nounA metric unit of mass equal to 1,000 grams, or about 2.205 pounds. It is the base unit of mass in the International System of Units.
- A metric unit of mass equal to 1,000 grams.
"The parcel weighs just under two kilogrammes."
"A kilogramme of flour is enough for the large batch of bread."
"The instrument records changes of only a few hundredths of a kilogramme."
The plural is kilogrammes, although kilogram is increasingly the preferred spelling in both British and American usage.
"The workers loaded twelve kilogrammes onto the cart."
A kilogramme contains a neatly chosen thousand: its name joins the Greek prefix for “thousand” to the unit from which all the metric masses are measured.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does kilogramme come from?
The word entered English in the early 19th century in the period when metric units were being introduced internationally. It was formed from the prefix kilo-, from Greek khiliakos, meaning “thousand,” and gram, the metric unit of mass derived from the Greek gramma, meaning “a small weight” or “a letter.” The final -me reflects the French spelling kilogramme, which was also adopted in British usage. The same metric roots appear in milligram, centigram, kilometre, and kilolitre.
How kilogramme is actually used
The form “kilogramme” is standard in British English and is used in many Commonwealth varieties, although “kilogram” is also understood there. The shorter spelling is preferred in the US. In scientific and commercial contexts, the international symbol kg is used regardless of the spoken form.
Easily confused with kilogramme
“Kilogramme” and “kilogram” denote the same unit; “kilogram” is the standard spelling in the US, while “kilogramme” is common in British English.