kl -abbr

  1. kiloliter

Klam·ath weed ['kla-məth-] -n

  1. a European yellow-flowered perennial Saint-John's-wort ( Hypericum perforatum) that is naturalized in No. America esp. in rangelands

Klan ['klan] -n

  1. an organization of Ku Kluxers
  2. a subordinate unit of such an organization

klatch ['klach, 'kläch] -n

  1. a gathering characterized usu. by informal conversation
  2. group

klav·ern ['kla-vərn] -n

  1. a local unit of the Klan

Klax·on ['klak-sən] -trademark

  1. used for an electrically operated horn or warning signal

kleb·si·el·la [,kleb-zē-'e-lə] -n

  1. any of a genus ( Klebsiella) of nonmotile enterobacteria that includes causative agents of respiratory and urogenital infections

Klee·nex ['klē-,neks] -trademark

  1. used for a cleansing tissue

Klein bottle ['klīn-] -n

  1. a one-sided surface that is formed by passing the narrow end of a tapered tube through the side of the tube and flaring this end out to join the other end

klepht ['kleft] -n, adj

  1. a Greek belonging to any of several independent guerrilla communities formed after the Turkish conquest of Greece

klep·to ['klep-(,)tō] -n

  1. kleptomaniac

klepto- -comb form

  1. stealing : theft
    • klepto mania

klep·toc·ra·cy [klep-'tä-krə-sē] -n, adj

  1. government by those who seek chiefly status and personal gain at the expense of the governed
  2. a particular government of this kind

klep·to·ma·nia [,klep-tə-'mā-nē-ə, -nyə] -n

  1. a persistent neurotic impulse to steal esp. without economic motive

klep·to·ma·ni·ac [-nē-,ak] -n

  1. a person evidencing kleptomania

klez·mer ['klez-mər] -n

  1. a Jewish instrumentalist esp. of traditional eastern European music
  2. the music played by klezmorim

klieg light ['klēg-] -n

  1. a carbon arc lamp used esp. in making motion pictures

Kline·fel·ter's syndrome ['klīn-,fel-tərz-] -n

  1. an abnormal condition in a male characterized by usu. two X and one Y chromosomes, infertility, smallness of the testicles, sparse facial and body hair, and enlarged breasts called also Klinefelter syndrome

klis·ter ['klis-tər] -n

  1. a soft wax used on skis

kloof ['klüf] -n

  1. a deep glen : ravine

kludge ['klüj] -n, adj

  1. a system and esp. a computer system made up of poorly matched components

klutz ['kləts] -n, adj

  1. a clumsy person

kly·stron ['klī-,strän] -n

  1. an electron tube in which bunching of electrons is produced by electric fields and which is used for the generation and amplification of ultrahigh-frequency current