Word
kwh
Phoneticskwh
/ˈkeɪˈdəbəɫjuˈeɪtʃ/
Definition
n. a unit of energy that measures how much electricity you use. It is the amount of power used by a 1,000-watt appliance running for one hour.
n. a unit of energy equivalent to one kilowatt of power sustained for one hour. Used as a standard billing unit for energy delivered to consumers by electric utilities.
Examples
“My electricity bill shows how many kWh I used this month.”
“Switching to LED bulbs can significantly reduce the total number of kWh consumed by a household each year.”
“The battery capacity of modern electric vehicles is typically measured in kWh, determining the total distance the car can travel on a single full charge under standard conditions.”
Examples
simple
“My electricity bill shows how many kWh I used this month.”
contextual
“Switching to LED bulbs can significantly reduce the total number of kWh consumed by a household each year.”
complex
“The battery capacity of modern electric vehicles is typically measured in kWh, determining the total distance the car can travel on a single full charge under standard conditions.”
Usage
Often written without a plural 's' (e.g., '50 kWh') in technical contexts, though 'kWhs' is sometimes seen in informal writing.
Pitfall
The heater uses 2 kWh per hour.
The heater uses 2 kW.
Learners often confuse kWh (total energy) with kW (power/rate). A 2 kW heater uses 2 kWh of energy if left on for exactly one hour.