calorie

noun

cal·​o·​rie ˈka-lə-rē How to pronounce calorie (audio)
ˈkal-rē
variants or less commonly calory
plural calories
1
a
: the amount of heat required at a pressure of one atmosphere to raise the temperature of one gram of water one degree Celsius that is equal to about 4.19 joules
abbreviation cal

called also gram calorie, small calorie

b
: the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water one degree Celsius : 1000 gram calories or 3.968 Btu
abbreviation Cal

called also large calorie

2
a
: a unit equivalent to the large calorie expressing heat-producing or energy-producing value in food when oxidized in the body
b
: an amount of food having an energy-producing value of one large calorie

Examples of calorie in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Some wearables also detect other metrics, such as steps, floors climbed, stride length, calories burned, and sleep quality. Alyssa Hui, Health, 21 Oct. 2024 When part of an overall diet that’s moderate in calories and low in fat, beans can help people manage their weight, says Dr. Garden-Robinson, who wasn’t involved in the study. Becky Upham, EverydayHealth.com, 18 Oct. 2024 The report listed a surge in GLP-1 drug usage as a factor for a shift toward healthier food options alongside public initiatives like calorie labeling and soda taxes as well as overall health awareness. Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 15 Oct. 2024 The high calorie count of isn’t exactly empty, after all. Beatrice Zocchi, Vogue, 15 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for calorie 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'calorie.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French calorie, from Latin calor heat, from calēre to be warm — more at lee

First Known Use

1866, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of calorie was in 1866

Dictionary Entries Near calorie

Cite this Entry

“Calorie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calorie. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

calorie

noun
cal·​o·​rie
variants also calory
plural calories
1
: a unit of heat:
a
: the heat energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of water one degree Celsius and equal to about 4.19 joules

called also small calorie

b
: the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water one degree Celsius and equal to 1000 small calories
used especially to indicate the value of foods in the production of heat and energy

called also large calorie, kilocalorie

2
: an amount of food having an energy-producing value of one large calorie
Etymology

from French calorie "a unit of heat," from Latin calor "heat," from calēre "to be hot" — related to cauldron, nonchalant

Medical Definition

calorie

noun
cal·​o·​rie
variants also calory
plural calories
1
a
: the amount of heat required at a pressure of one atmosphere to raise the temperature of one gram of water one degree Celsius that is equal to about 4.19 joules
abbreviation cal

called also gram calorie, small calorie

b
: the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water one degree Celsius that is equal to 1000 gram calories or 3.968 Btu
abbreviation Cal

called also kilocalorie, kilogram calorie, large calorie

2
a
: a unit equivalent to the large calorie expressing heat-producing or energy-producing value in food when oxidized in the body
b
: an amount of food having an energy-producing value of one large calorie

More from Merriam-Webster on calorie

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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