TERMIUM Plus®
The Government of Canada’s terminology and linguistic data bank.
KW/HR [1 record]
Record 1 - internal organization data 2007-08-31
Record 1, English
Record 1, Subject field(s)
- Metrology and Units of Measure
- Measurements of Electricity
Record 1, Main entry term, English
- kilowatt-hour
1, record 1, English, kilowatt%2Dhour
correct
Record 1, Abbreviations, English
- kWh 2, record 1, English, kWh
correct
- kW·h 3, record 1, English, kW%26%23183%3Bh
correct
- kW-h 4, record 1, English, kW%2Dh
avoid
- kW.-hr 4, record 1, English, kW%2E%2Dhr
avoid
Record 1, Synonyms, English
- kilowatthour 5, record 1, English, kilowatthour
correct, less frequent
- kWh 2, record 1, English, kWh
correct
- kW·h 3, record 1, English, kW%26%23183%3Bh
correct
- KWH 4, record 1, English, KWH
avoid
- kWh 2, record 1, English, kWh
- kilowatt hour 4, record 1, English, kilowatt%20hour
avoid
- kilowatt/hour 4, record 1, English, kilowatt%2Fhour
avoid
- kW/h 4, record 1, English, kW%2Fh
avoid
- kW/hr 4, record 1, English, kW%2Fhr
avoid
- KW/HR 4, record 1, English, KW%2FHR
avoid
- kw / h 4, record 1, English, kw%20%2F%20h
avoid
- kW/h 4, record 1, English, kW%2Fh
Record 1, Textual support, English
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 CONT
The watt-hour (symbol W·h or Wh) is a unit of energy. It is most commonly used on household electricity meters in the form of the kilowatt-hour (kW·h or kWh), which is 1,000 watt-hours. It is not used in the International System of Units (SI), despite being based on the watt, as the hour is not a SI unit. The SI unit of energy is the joule (J), equal to one watt-second. It is, however, a commonly used unit, especially for measuring electric energy. 1 watt-hour is equivalent to 3,600 joules (1 W x 3600 s), the joule being the canonical SI unit of energy. Thus a kilowatt-hour is 3,600,000 joules or 3.6 megajoules. ... The kilowatt-hour is commonly used for electrical and natural gas energy. Many electric utility companies use the kilowatt-hour for billing. 3, record 1, English, - kilowatt%2Dhour
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 OBS
Megawatt-hours are used for metering of larger amounts of electrical energy. For example, a power plant's daily output is likely to be measured in megawatt-hours. 3, record 1, English, - kilowatt%2Dhour
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 2 OBS
plural: kilowatt-hours or kilowatthours. Lots of variants can be found, but they should be avoided: kilowattshours, kilowatts hour, kilowatts hours, kilowatt hours, kilowatts-hour, kilowatts-hours, kilowatts/hour, kilowatts/hours, kilowatt/hours. 6, record 1, English, - kilowatt%2Dhour
Record 1, French
Record 1, Domaine(s)
- Unités de mesure et métrologie
- Mesures de grandeurs électriques
Record 1, Main entry term, French
- kilowattheure
1, record 1, French, kilowattheure
correct, masculine noun
Record 1, Abbreviations, French
- kWh 2, record 1, French, kWh
correct, masculine noun
Record 1, Synonyms, French
- kilowatt-heure 3, record 1, French, kilowatt%2Dheure
correct, masculine noun, obsolete
- kWh 2, record 1, French, kWh
correct, masculine noun
- kWh 2, record 1, French, kWh
- kilowatt heure 4, record 1, French, kilowatt%20heure
avoid, masculine noun
- kW·h 4, record 1, French, kW%26%23183%3Bh
avoid, masculine noun
- kW·h 4, record 1, French, kW%26%23183%3Bh
- kilowatt/heure 4, record 1, French, kilowatt%2Fheure
avoid, masculine noun
- kW/h 4, record 1, French, kW%2Fh
avoid, masculine noun
- kW/h 4, record 1, French, kW%2Fh
Record 1, Textual support, French
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Unité d'énergie ou de travail équivalant au travail accompli pendant une heure par une machine d'une puissance de 1000 watts. 5, record 1, French, - kilowattheure
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 OBS
Unité utilisée pour la facturation de l'énergie électrique. 6, record 1, French, - kilowattheure
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 2 OBS
Au pluriel : des kilowattheures ou des kilowatts-heures. À éviter : kilowatts-heure, kilowatt-heures, kilowatts heure, kilowatts heures, kilowatt heures, kilowatts/heure, kilowatts/heures, kilowatt/heures. 4, record 1, French, - kilowattheure
Record 1, Spanish
Record 1, Textual support, Spanish
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