3 syllables: ki, lo, watt. Stress on ki.
KIL-uh-waht
/ˈkɪləˌwɑt/
kilowatt is pronounced KIL-uh-waht (/ˈkɪləˌwɑt/). It has three syllables (ki-lo-watt), with the stress on "ki". Kilowatt is a unit of power equal to 1,000 watts. In everyday tech and engineering talk, it denotes the rate at which electrical energy is used or produced. The term combines kilo- (a thousand) with watt, the unit named after James Watt, reflecting electrical power capacity in various devices and systems.
Kilowatt is a unit of power equal to 1,000 watts. In everyday tech and engineering talk, it denotes the rate at which electrical energy is used or produced. The term combines kilo- (a thousand) with watt, the unit named after James Watt, reflecting electrical power capacity in various devices and systems.
- You’ll often flatten the middle diphthong (/oʊ/) to a short /o/ or /ɒ/; practice with slow, deliberate transitions: /kɪl/ + /oʊ/ + /wɒt/. - Final consonant: avoid voiceless stops blending with a preceding syllable; practice a clean, aspirated /t/ at the end, not a tap or glottal stop. - Stress drift: keep primary stress on the first syllable; avoid secondary stress across syllables. - Reduction: don’t reduce the second syllable to a schwa without keeping its vowel length; keep a distinct /oʊ/ to avoid ‘kil-luh-wot’.
"The solar array can deliver up to 250 kilowatts of peak power."
"Industrial motors are often rated in kilowatts rather than horsepower."
"We’ll install a 5 kW inverter for the home solar system, a practical choice for energy efficiency."
You say /ˈkɪl.oʊ.wɒt/ in many contexts or /ˈkɪl.oʊ.watt/ in US usage; primary stress on the first syllable. Break it into three parts: KIL-ow-wott. The middle syllable features a long 'o' as in 'go,' and the final syllable uses a short ‘a’ as in ‘cot’ or a reduced schwa depending on accent. Visualize lips rounding slightly for ‘ow’ and a crisp stop at the final ‘t’.
Two frequent errors are: 1) misplacing the stress, saying ki-LO-watt or ki-LO-wät; ensure primary stress on the first syllable: KIL-. 2) confusing the middle vowel: mispronouncing as 'killo-wat' or 'kilaw-ot.' The correct middle is a long 'o' as in ‘go,’ and the final is a crisp /t/. Practice by isolating the middle: /oʊ/ before the /w/ glide.
US tends toward /ˈkɪl.oʊ.wɒt/ with a rounded /ɒ/ in the final syllable and a distinct /w/ onset; UK often yields /ˈkɪl.ə.wɒt/ with a schwa in the second syllable and less strong rhoticity; AU generally follows UK patterns but may feature a slightly flatter /ɔː/; all share primary stress on the first syllable but vowel qualities shift subtly. Paying attention to the /oʊ/–/ə/ transition helps.
The challenge lies in coordinating a three‑syllable sequence with a strong initial stress, a long diphthong /oʊ/ in the middle, and the final aspirated /t/. The glide from /oʊ/ to /w/ can blur in rapid speech, and many speakers reduce the middle syllable unintentionally. Focusing on clear separation between /oʊ/ and /w/ and finishing with a crisp /t/ improves precision.
Treat kilowatt as KIL + o + WOT with clear division: /ˈkɪl/ + /oʊ/ + /wɒt/. Emphasize the first syllable and keep the /oʊ/ steady before the /w/ onset, then release /t/ crisply. Visual cue: lips start rounded for /oʊ/ and compress quickly to a small, sharp /t/ at the end. This alignment minimizes blending and keeps the final consonant audible.
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- US: /ˈkɪl.oʊ.wɒt/ with clear /oʊ/; maintain rhotic rlessness in the final area and avoid adding an extra syllable. - UK: /ˈkɪl.ə.wɒt/ often uses a near-schwa in the second syllable; keep /ə/ light and quick. - AU: similar to UK, but some speakers may lean toward /ˈkɪl.ə.wɔt/ in informal speech; keep the final /ɒ/ sound distinct. - Reference IPA: memorize /ˈkɪl.oʊ.wɒt/ (US), /ˈkɪl.ə.wɒt/ (UK/AU). - General: maintain 3-syllable rhythm, three distinct phonetic peaks, avoid turning into two syllables.
Kilowatt traces its etymology to the SI unit system. The prefix kilo- comes from the Greek chi-lambda (χιλιο) via Latin 'chilioi' meaning thousand. Watt honors James Watt, the 18th‑century Scottish inventor whose improvements to the steam engine made practical power generation possible; the unit was named in his honor in the 19th century as part of the metric system’s expansion. The compound form kilowatt first appears in technical literature as electrical engineers described power in terms of multiples of a watt. Early 20th‑century electrical engineering discourse standardized kilowatts (kW) as a common unit for electrical power output and consumption across homes, industry, and later, renewable energy systems. As electrical standards evolved, kilowatts became a default descriptor for capacity—distinguishing instantaneous power from energy (kilowatt-hours) and enabling clear comparison across devices and systems. The term’s use expanded globally with the spread of the metric system, remaining the practical shorthand in specifications, ratings, and performance data up to the present day.
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Words that rhyme with "kilowatt"
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