Word
calorie
Phoneticscalo·rie
US/ˈkæɫɝi/
UK/kˈælɔːɹi/
Definitions
01nutrition and diet
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. a unit that measures the energy you get from food and drink.
n. the 'large calorie' or kilocalorie (kcal), used to measure the energy content of food and the energy expended through physical activity.
“The label on the back of the juice bottle shows the number of calories per serving.”
“Nutritionists recommend that the average adult male requires approximately two thousand five hundred calories a day to maintain a healthy weight.”
Usage
In everyday speech and on food labels, 'calorie' almost always refers to the kilocalorie (1,000 small calories).
Synonyms
02physics and chemistry
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Science Technical
n. a small unit of energy used in science, equal to the heat needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree.
n. the 'small calorie' (cal), defined as the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius.
“In the science experiment, we measured how many calories of heat the burner produced.”
“While the joule is the standard SI unit of energy, the calorie remains a common reference in older thermodynamic literature and specific chemical calculations.”
Usage
Usually written as 'cal' in lowercase to distinguish it from the nutritional 'Cal' or 'kcal'.
Synonyms
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/calorie