kiloyear n.

a period of one thousand years

In quot. 2004, a distance of one thousand light years.

  • 1945 J. W. Campbell Limits in Astounding Science-Fiction Apr. 5/2 page image John W. Campbell, Jr. bibliography

    Remember that homo sapiens has been around from one hundred to two hundred fifty kiloyears.

  • 1954 A. Budrys End of Summer in Astounding Science Fiction Nov. 27/1 page image Algis Budrys bibliography

    There was nothing that said he had to reach a decision right this minute. He’d waited ten kiloyears. It could wait a little longer.

  • 1979 T. Reynolds Ker-Plop in Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine Jan. 143 page image Ted Reynolds bibliography

    A ship was sent out, say some three hundred kiloyears ago.

  • 1986 V. Vinge Marooned in Realtime 40 Vernor Vinge bibliography

    You may not know this, but we have lots of equipment at the Lagrange zones. Some of it is in kiloyear stasis. Some is flickering with a period of decades.

  • 2000 A. Reynolds Hideaway in Interzone (#157) July 7 page image Alastair Reynolds bibliography

    Tens of kiloyears ago, long before the Waymakers, even before the Flourishing.

  • 2004 I. M. Banks Algebraist v. 357 page image Iain M. Banks bibliography

    ‘Thirty-four kiloyears?’ Fassin said. It felt like he was going to black out again. ‘You mean...’ His voice trailed off. ‘Thirty-four thousand light years, standard. Roughly. Apologies for any confusion.’


Research requirements

any evidence 1945

Research History
Ralf Brown submitted a cite from a 1991 reprint of Vernor Vinge's "Marooned in Realtime".
Mike Christie submitted a cite from an editorial by John W. Campbell in the Feb 1945 Astounding Science fiction.
Ben Ostrowsky submitted a 2004 cite from Iain Banks.

Last modified 2021-08-22 03:06:28
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.