kilo- [KIL oh, KEEL oh], kil-

1. In the metric [decimal] system, kilo- denotes a whole unit of a thousand [U.S.] and thousandfold [U.K.], 10³ [1 000]. It's metric symbol is k.
2. One thousand grams; the basic unit of mass adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites.

A kilogram is approximately 2.2 U.S. pounds.

3. A code word for the letter "K" which is used in international radio communications.
4. A thousand (10 to the 3rd power). Abbreviated "K". For technical specifications, it refers to the precise value 1,024 since computer specifications are based on binary numbers; for example, 64K means 65,536 bytes when referring to memory or storage (64x1024); however, a 64K salary means $64,000.

The IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, New York, www.ieee.org) uses capital "K" for 1,024, and lower case "k" for 1,000.

One thousand grams; the basic unit of mass adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites.

The 1,000 grams is equal to 2.2046 lbs.

A measure of energy or work done, being the amount expended in raising one kilogram through the height of one meter.

The kilogram is the only Système International (SI) base unit of measurement whose definition is still based on a physical prototype. The world's most accurate kilogram is a cylinder of platinum and iridium that was made in 1889.

It is maintained at the Bureau International Des Poids et Mesures (BIPM) at Sèvres near Paris, France.