kilocycle

1 8.9

A unit for measuring radio waves that equals one thousand cycles per second

noun
/ˈkɪloʊˌsaɪkəl/

Archaic

: kilociclo

Here they plot it in kilocycles per second or kHz.

Examples

The radio station broadcasts at 98 kilocycles.
And he always said kilocycles, but we change it to Hertz and you see the different positions of maximum vibration.
The signal was transmitted at a frequency of 540 kilocycles.
She tuned the receiver to 1,500 kilocycles to get a clearer sound.

Synonyms

kHz

vskilocycle

Specialized

3 3.8

A measure of how often something repeats, equal to one thousand times each second

is the older spoken term used in radio rather than the symbol form

kilohertz

vskilocycle

Specialized

1 3.7

A unit of frequency equal to one thousand cycles per second

is the older radio term largely replaced by this modern name

kilocycle per second

vskilocycle

Archaic

7.2

A unit equal to one thousand cycles per second, now called kilohertz

is the archaic radio term now commonly swapped for the modern phrase

Compounds

kilocycle per second

Archaic

7.2

A unit equal to one thousand cycles per second, now called kilohertz

Surface Forms

kilocycle singular

kilocycles plural

Morphology

kilocycle = cycle (transparent) = kilo + cycle

The formation is the productive SI prefix 'kilo-' (thousand) added to the common noun 'cycle', so the meaning 'one thousand cycles' is directly derivable.

Etymology

Kilocycle comes from kilo- meaning 'thousand', as in kilogram, and cycle meaning 'a full turn' or repeat, as in bicycle. So a kilocycle is 'one thousand cycles' per second, and it is the older name now usually called kilohertz.