Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
kilovolt-ampere

kilovolt-ampere

6.3
A unit of electrical power for alternating current equal to 1,000 volt-amperes
  • noun
  • /ˈkɪloʊˌvoʊlt ˈæmˌpɪr/
  • Specialized
translation icon : kilovolt-amperio
  • The generator has a capacity of 500 kilovolt-amperes, making it suitable for large-scale industrial use.

Examples

  • Most hospital backup systems are rated at several hundred kilovolt-amperes to ensure continuous power supply.

  • A typical household might require around 5 kilovolt-amperes for basic appliances.

  • Engineers measured the load in kilovolt-amperes to determine the required transformer size.

  • The generator produces 100 kilovolt-amperes of power.

  • Engineers measured the load in kilovolt-amperes to determine the required transformer size.

  • Most hospital backup systems are rated at several hundred kilovolt-amperes to ensure continuous power supply.

  • The generator has a capacity of 500 kilovolt-amperes, making it suitable for large-scale industrial use.

How Powerful

kilovolt-ampere
  • Specialized
6.3
volt-ampere
  • Specialized
6.3

Surface Forms

kilovolt-ampere singular
kilovolt-amperes plural

Morphology

kilovolt-ampere = volt-ampere (transparent) = kilo + volt + ampere

The SI prefix 'kilo' straightforwardly multiplies the unit 'volt-ampere' by 1,000, a standard and transparent formation of metric units.

Etymology

The word kilovolt-ampere breaks into three parts: kilo- meaning 'thousand', and volt and ampere, the two electrical units you meet as 'voltage' and 'amp' on many devices, just like kilogram or kilometer show the 'kilo-' meaning. So, a kilovolt-ampere is 1,000 volt-amperes and is used to measure electrical power, which is why engineers use it to choose the right transformer or generator.