How to pronounce kilobyte
Say it like KIL-oh-byte. Kilobyte has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KIL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce kilobyte. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KIL
- oh
- byte
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Kilobyte pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KILSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- ohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- byteGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of kilobyte
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: KIL-oh-byte.
What does kilobyte mean?
- One thousand (10³, or 1,000) bytes.
- A kibibyte.
Where does kilobyte come from?
Coined in the 1960s, from kilo- (“thousand”) + byte.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- k
- kb
Questions about saying kilobyte
How do you pronounce kilobyte?
Say KIL-oh-byte. The American pronunciation is /ˈkɪloʊˌbaɪt/. In British English it is /ˈkɪləʊˌbaɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in kilobyte?
Kilobyte has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KIL). Broken into parts: KIL · oh · byte.
Is kilobyte pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /ˈkɪləʊˌbaɪt/ (KIL-oh-byte).