K

What does "Kilo" mean?

In the NATO phonetic alphabet, the letter K is represented by the codeword Kilo, pronounced KEY-loh. When spelling over radio, phone, or in person in noisy environments, you say "Kilo" to unambiguously indicate the letter K.

History & etymology

From the Greek 'chilioi' (thousand), already an international SI prefix.

How to use it

Say "Kilo" whenever you need to specify the letter K aloud. Common situations: dictating an email address or license plate over the phone, reading a serial number to technical support, making a radio call in aviation or maritime contexts, or simply avoiding the common confusion between similar-sounding letters (B/D/P/T, M/N, F/S).

Example

If your name starts with K, you might say "Kilo as in Kilo" when spelling it out — or use the NATO alphabet for your whole name using our translator.

Neighboring letters

Explore the codewords for the letters before and after K below. For the full 26-letter chart with pronunciation and history, visit the NATO alphabet reference page. Prefer to memorize it? Try our flashcards.