kilowatt

IPA/ˈkɪləwɒt/
KK[kˈɪləwˌɑt]IPA/ˈkɪləwɑːt/

kilowatt — noun

  • kilowattsingular
  • kilowattsplural

1. a standard unit that tells you how much electrical power a device, machine, or s

1.nounB1
Definition

a standard unit that tells you how much electrical power a device, machine, or system uses or produces; one kilowatt equals 1,000 watts and is roughly enough to run a small electric heater at full heat.

Example

Beatriz installed solar panels that produce up to 4 kilowatts of electricity on a sunny day.

collocation: [number] + kilowatts of + [electricity/power]

A 3-kilowatt generator kept the emergency lights running during the storm.

hyphenated compound modifier: [number]-kilowatt + [noun]

Common collocations
  • [number] kilowatts of power/electricity
  • kilowatt output
  • kilowatt rating
  • per kilowatt
Synonyms
  • watt

    the base unit; 1 kilowatt = 1,000 watts. Use 'watt' for small devices (a 60-watt bulb) and 'kilowatt' for larger appliances (a 2-kilowatt heater).

  • megawatt

    a much larger unit; 1 megawatt = 1,000 kilowatts. Used for power stations, large factories, or wind farms rather than household appliances.

Grammar Patterns

[number] + kilowatt(s) + of + [power/electricity]

[number]-kilowatt + [noun]

Usage Note

Often abbreviated to kW in writing. When used as a compound modifier before a noun, add a hyphen between the number and 'kilowatt' (e.g., a 5-kilowatt motor, a 2-kilowatt heater). Distinguish from kilowatt-hour (kWh), which measures total energy used over time, not instantaneous power.

Common Mistakes

The microwave uses 1.2 kilowatt.
The microwave uses 1.2 kilowatts.
Kilowatt is a countable noun; use the plural form when the number is not exactly 1.
My home uses 10 electricity kilowatts daily.
My home uses 10 kilowatts of electricity daily.
When connecting kilowatts to what is being measured, use 'of' (kilowatts of power / of electricity).

Word family

  • watt
    nounB1
  • megawatt
    nounB2
  • gigawatt
    nounC1
  • kilowatt-hour
    nounB2
  • milliwatt
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Watt, kilowatt, megawatt, and gigawatt are all units of power measuring how fast electricity is used or produced at a given moment. A watt (W) is the base unit — a phone charger uses about 5–10 watts, and a light bulb runs on 10–60 watts. A kilowatt (kW) equals 1,000 watts and is the everyday unit for household appliances (heaters, air conditioners, ovens). A megawatt (MW) is 1,000 kilowatts — typically used for factories or solar farms. A gigawatt (GW) is 1,000 megawatts, the scale of a large power plant. Importantly, a kilowatt-hour (kWh) is NOT a unit of power but of total energy: running a 2-kW heater for 3 hours uses 6 kWh. Your electricity bill charges you for kilowatt-hours, not kilowatts.

watt ↗megawatt ↗gigawattkilowatt-hour

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • per kilowatt
  • kilowatt-hour (kWh)

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekEnglishnamed after James Watt (Scottish engineer)

The word kilowatt is made from two parts: 'kilo-', from a Greek word meaning 'thousand', and 'watt', named after James Watt, a Scottish engineer whose improvements to the steam engine helped start the Industrial Revolution. Scientists at the end of the 1800s created the term 'kilowatt' as they developed the first electrical systems for homes and factories. The symbol kW is used today on appliance labels, electricity bills, and solar panel specifications around the world.