Medical Dictionary
Main Entry:
cal·o·rie Variant:
also cal·o·ry /'kal-(&-)rE/ Function:
noun Inflected Form:
plural -ries 1 a : the amount of heat required at a pressure of one atmosphere to raise the temperature of one gram of water one degree Celsius that is equal to about 4.19 joules—abbreviation
cal; called also
gram calorie, small calorie b : the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water one degreeCelsius that is equal to 1000 gram calories or 3.968 Btu —abbreviation
Cal; called also
kilocalorie, kilogram calorie, large calorie 2 a : a unitequivalent to the large calorie expressing heat-producing or energy-producing value in food when oxidized in the body
b : an amount of food having an energy-producing value of onelarge calorie