Definition

1. Noun:
   • A unit of information equal to 1024 bytes: In computing and digital storage, a kilobyte (KB) is traditionally defined as 2¹⁰ bytes, which is 1024 bytes. This binary-based definition is used in contexts like computer memory and file sizes.
   • A unit of information equal to 1000 bytes: In some contexts, particularly in data communication and according to certain standards bodies, a kilobyte is defined using the metric prefix 'kilo-', meaning 10³ or 1000 bytes.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The text document is only 15 kilobytes in size. (Here, 'kilobytes' refers to a unit of digital file size.)
  • Older systems often used the 1024-byte definition of a kilobyte. (This example highlights the traditional binary definition.)
  • According to the SI standard, one kilobyte is 1000 bytes. (This example shows the metric-based definition.)

Advanced Usage

• Contextual Ambiguity: The dual definition can cause confusion. To be precise, the terms kibibyte (KiB) for 1024 bytes and kilobyte (KB) for 1000 bytes are sometimes used in technical documents.
  • For clarity, the specification lists memory capacity as 512 KiB (kibibytes), not kilobytes.

Variants and Related Words

• Kilobyte (KB): The standard abbreviation.
• Kibibyte (KiB): A more precise term for 1024 bytes, created to resolve ambiguity.
• Megabyte (MB): A larger unit, typically 1024 kilobytes (or 1000 kilobytes, depending on context).
• Byte: The fundamental unit of digital information, typically consisting of 8 bits.

Synonyms

• KB: The common abbreviation.
• K: Sometimes used informally (e.g., "a 64K file").

Related Phrases

• Kilobytes per second (KB/s or KBps): A unit of data transfer rate.
  • The download speed was 250 kilobytes per second.

Noun

1. a unit of information equal to 1024 bytes
2. a unit of information equal to 1000 bytes