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Kilo-
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Look up <i>kilo-</i> in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. <p>Kilo is a <a href="/facts/Decimal_prefix/Y2MzkaeL">decimal</a> <a href="/facts/Metric_prefix/Y2MzkaeL">unit prefix</a> in the <a href="/facts/Metric_system/to24H0YK">metric system</a> denoting multiplication by one <a href="/facts/Thousand/b3LRnMBK">thousand</a> (103). It is used in the <a href="/facts/International_System_of_Units/S7YLglNz">International System of Units</a>, where it has the symbol k, in <a href="/facts/Letter_case/KQcwaUUD">lowercase</a>. </p><p>The prefix <i>kilo</i> is derived from the <a href="/facts/Greek_language/pzDd6eIz">Greek</a> word χίλιοι (<i>chilioi</i>), meaning "thousand". </p><p>In 19th century English it was sometimes spelled chilio, in line with a <a href="/facts/Linguistic_purism/zjL5N8PF">puristic</a> opinion by <a href="/facts/Thomas_Young_(scientist)/X4RtR47L">Thomas Young</a>. As an opponent of suggestions to introduce the metric system in Britain, he qualified the nomenclature adopted in France as barbarous. </p>