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In the International System of Units, the base unit of mass; conceived of as the mass of one litre of water, but now defined by taking the fixed numerical value of the Planck constant h to be 6.626 070 15 × 10-34 when expressed in units of kg⋅m2⋅s−1. Symbol: kg
2018 November 13, Matthew Robinson and Lianne Kolirin, “The world has just redefined the kilogram”, in CNN:
Friday’s vote has permanently redefined the kilogram and sent Le Grand K into retirement.
(proscribed) The unit of weight such that a one-kilogram mass is also a one-kilogram weight.
1990, Central Asia, numbers 26-27, page 137:
A nan (bread) costs 25 Afghanis : a kilogram of beef 800 Afghanis and mutton of the same weight for 1200 Afghanis;
2015 July 22, Reshma M. Khan et al., “Embolic Stroke as the Initial Manifestation of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus”, in Case Reports in Rheumatology, volume 2015, →DOI:
Review of systems was positive for unintentional weight gain of 13.5 kilograms in the last eight months, excessive fatigue, fever, difficulty focusing, one episode of painful oral ulcer on the roof of her mouth, change in the hair texture with nonscarring alopecia, shortness of breath with exertion, and constipation.
Usage notes
(proscribed, unit of weight): The use of the kilogram as a unit of weight is somewhat imprecise, as weight can change while mass remains constant. The weight of a one-kilogram mass will depend on its location because the pull of gravity varies from one place to another. It is therefore frequently proscribed but is nonetheless in wide use (e.g., a person's weight in kilograms). (The same imprecision and proscription also occur with many other words pertaining to weight and mass, such as the verb weigh.)
Whilst one kilogram equals 1,000 grams, it is the kilogram and not the gram that is the base unit.