As nouns the difference between milligram and kilogram
is that milligram is an si unit of mass, equivalent to one thousandth of a gram symbol: mg while kilogram is in the international system of units, the base unit of mass; conceived of as the mass of one liter of water, and now defined as the mass of a specific cylinder of platinum-iridium alloy kept at the international bureau of weights and measures in france symbol: kg.
milligram
Alternative forms
* milligramme
Noun
(
en noun)
An SI unit of mass, equivalent to one thousandth of a gram. Symbol: mg
kilogram
English
Alternative forms
* kilogramme
Synonyms
* (l)
Noun
(
en noun)
In the International System of Units, the base unit of mass; conceived of as the mass of one liter of water, and now defined as the mass of a specific cylinder of platinum-iridium alloy kept at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures in France. Symbol: kg
(proscribed) Hence, the unit of weight such that a one-kilogram mass is also a one-kilogram weight.
Usage notes
* (sense) The use of the kilogram as a unit of weight is somewhat imprecise, as weight can change while mass remains constant. The weight of a one-kilogram mass will depend on its location, because the pull of gravity varies from one place to another. It is therefore frequently proscribed, but is nonetheless in wide use (e.g., a person's weight in kilograms). (The same imprecision and proscription also occur with many other words pertaining to weight and mass, such as the verb weigh.)
