kilo-
prefixAU, CA, US, UK, SC /ˌkɪl.ə-/ · NZ /ˌkəl.ə-/
Etymology Borrowed from French kilo-, irregularly derived from Ancient Greek χίλιοι (khílioi, “one thousand”). The etymologically "correct" form would be chili- or chilo-, resulting in forms such as chiliasme (“chiliasm”) or chilopode (“centipede”); but the French, when creating the prefix, had to avoid a possible (standard) pronunciation of chi as /ʃi/, too close to the vulgar verb chier (“to shit”).
Morpheme In the International System of Units and other metric systems of units, multiplying the unit to which it is attached by a thousand (1000).
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences Morpheme, Proscribed Synonym of kibi- (“multiplying the unit to which it is attached by 2¹⁰ = 1024”).