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calorie

calorie

173 2.3
A small amount of energy in food and drink
  • noun
  • /ˈkæl.ə.ri/
  • Specialized
translation icon : caloría
  • Everyone knows fat has more calories per weight than sugar.
  • daily calories
  • calories per day
  • total calories

If you're in the confines of your calories, what happens?

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Examples

  • Weight problems are usually the result of a mismatch between calorie intake and expenditure.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Did you know that you can burn more calories just by eating certain food?

  • And it's a low sugar, low protein, low calorie and high fat.

  • Is that language like low calorie snack and stuff like that?

  • We just found dense, you know, high calorie food.

  • And you can also track things like calorie density as well.

  • I do know people who track their calories and they lose weight.

  • Look right now we're at 800 calories a day.

  • In Asia, rice contributes 35 percent of total calorie consumption; in Latin America, it provides 10 percent.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Many athletes monitor their calorie intake to maintain their energy levels during training.

Synonyms

cal
vscalorie
  • Specialized
23 3.9

A unit showing how much energy food gives the body

is the full written name rather than the short form
energy unit
vscalorie
  • Specialized
1 3.0

A way to measure energy, like a calorie or joule

is the specific food energy measure rather than that general measure
heat unit
vscalorie
  • Specialized
1 5.3

A measure of heat energy like a calorie or BTU

is the food energy sense of this general heat measure
kilocalorie
vscalorie
  • Specialized
4.8

The amount of energy that raises one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius, used to measure food energy

is the general unit for food energy without stressing size
large calorie
vscalorie
  • Specialized
3.7

A measure of food energy equal to the heat needed to warm 1 kilogram of water by 1 degree Celsius

is the broader food energy unit not limited to this high measure
kilogram calorie
vscalorie
  • Archaic
6.3

A unit of heat to raise one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius, often used for food energy

is the common food energy unit rather than this technical heat definition
gram calorie
vscalorie
  • Archaic
6.1

A unit of heat equal to energy needed to raise 1 gram of water by 1°C at normal air pressure

is the general food energy unit rather than this much smaller heat amount
small calorie
vscalorie
  • Specialized
6.3

Amount of heat that raises one gram of water by one degree Celsius at normal air pressure

is the broader food energy unit rather than this tiny laboratory measure

Compounds

A way of eating that limits calories to help lose weight or improve health

calorie bomb
  • Informal
4.2

A food that has a lot of calories and is often unhealthy

A table or list that shows how many calories are in different foods

6.3

A unit of heat to raise one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius, often used for food energy

large calorie
  • Specialized
3.7

A measure of food energy equal to the heat needed to warm 1 kilogram of water by 1 degree Celsius

gram calorie
  • Archaic
6.1

A unit of heat equal to energy needed to raise 1 gram of water by 1°C at normal air pressure

small calorie
  • Specialized
6.3

Amount of heat that raises one gram of water by one degree Celsius at normal air pressure

Surface Forms

calorie singular
calories plural

Etymology

Calorie comes from the Latin root calor, which means 'heat'. It was first used as a measure of heat, so a calorie is like a small amount of 'heat' or energy you get from food.