kilogram
noun
ˈkē-lə-
Did you know?
The original concept of the kilogram, as the mass of a cubic decimeter of water (a bit more than a quart), was adopted as the base unit of mass by the new revolutionary government of France in 1793. In 1875, in the Treaty of the Meter, 17 countries, including the U.S., adopted the French kilogram as an international standard. In 1889 a new international standard for the kilogram, a metal bar made of platinum iridium, was agreed to; President Benjamin Harrison officially received the 1-kilogram cylinder for the U.S. in 1890. But no one uses that bar very often; for all practical purposes, a kilogram equals 2.2 pounds.
Examples of kilogram in a Sentence
Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 15 May 2026
Martinez Flores' indictment alleges his involvement in an international drug distribution conspiracy via the distribution of five kilograms of cocaine or more intended for distribution in the United States.
—Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Through the initiative, the brand has collaborated with 21 schools across eight countries, engaging more than 90 students from 15 nationalities and donating 1,000 kilograms of yarns over the past decade.
—Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 14 May 2026
On April 21, 2025, employees at an apartment complex where Turner worked as a maintenance worker reportedly found a tool bag in a storage room that contained 790 grams of fentanyl and one kilogram of cocaine, court records show.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for kilogram
Cite this Entry
“Kilogram.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kilogram. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
kilogram
noun
ˈkil-ə-
Medical Definition
kilogram
noun
