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kilowatt

kilowatt

16 3.2
A measure of electric power equal to 1,000 watts
  • noun
  • /ˈkɪləˌwɑt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : kilovatio
  • For example, Nvidia's new GPU consumes a kilowatt in power.
  • kilowatt-hour
  • kilowatts of electricity
  • kilowatts of power

We could just use watts, kilowatts, that sort of thing.

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Examples

  • 8,356-- the amount of kilowatt hours we saved by having everyone on their devices power down.

  • The US Department of Energy chose a target of 6 cents per kilowatt-hour for its terrestrial photovoltaic program.

    Academic text (1993)
  • Wow, $20,000 for a 3 kilowatt solar panel?

  • Our nuclear reactor is pumping out one million kilowatts of power.

  • However, new technology will bring the wind energy cost below $0.04 per kilowatt-hour by 2000.

    Academic text (1994)
  • The loop has the design capabilities to produce 240 kilowatts of electricity.

    Academic text (2012)
  • The new turbines are expected to produce electricity for a competitive $0.05 per kilowatt-hour at moderate wind sites.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Most utilities generate electricity for as little as a few cents per kilowatt-hour; photovoltaics are not competitive for utility-scale applications.

    Academic text (1994)
  • On each truck, an 1100-kilowatt three-phase AC asynchronous motor powers the two axles.

    Academic text (1993)
  • You probably pay 10 cents or 15 cents per kilowatt hour for your power at home.

Synonyms

kW
vskilowatt
  • Specialized
7 3.4

A unit of power equal to 1,000 watts

is used more generally for measuring electrical power

Compounds

kilowatt hour
  • Specialized
8 3.2

The energy used by a 1,000-watt device in one hour

How Powerful

gigawatt
  • Specialized
10 4.2
megawatt
  • Specialized
20 3.9
kilowatt
  • Specialized
16 3.2
watt
  • Specialized
106 2.9

Surface Forms

kilowatt singular
kilowatts plural

Morphology

kilowatt = watt (transparent) = kilo + watt

The word 'kilowatt' is a clear combination of 'kilo-' meaning 1,000 and 'watt', which is a unit of power.

Etymology

Kilowatt comes from the prefix kilo- meaning 'thousand', just like in kilogram and kilometre, and from watt, the unit named after the inventor James Watt. So a kilowatt is simply 'a thousand' watts, which is why it measures larger amounts of power.