ETYM French, from Latin calor heat.
A unit of heat equal to the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree at one atmosphere pressure; Also called: kilogram calorie, kilocalorie, large calorie, frigorie.
The quantity of thermal energy required to raise one gram of water 1[s]C at 15[s]C.
C.g.s. unit of heat, now replaced by the joule (one calorie is approximately 4.2 joules). It is the heat required to raise the temperature of one gram of water by 1şC. In dietetics, the Calorie or kilocalorie is equal to 1,000 calories.
The kilocalorie measures the energy value of food in terms of its heat output: 28 g/1 oz of protein yields 120 kilocalories, of carbohydrate 110, of fat 270, and of alcohol 200.
Unit of heat defined as the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1C at atmospheric pressure; SYN. calory, gram calorie, small calorie.