12-letter words containing k, i, o
- killer micro — [Popularised by Eugene Brooks] A microprocessor-based machine that infringes on mini, mainframe, or supercomputer performance turf. Often heard in "No one will survive the attack of the killer micros!", the battle cry of the downsizers. Used especially of RISC architectures. The popularity of the phrase "attack of the killer micros" is doubtless reinforced by the movie title "Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes" (one of the canonical examples of so-bad-it's-wonderful among hackers). This has even more flavour now that killer micros have gone on the offensive not just individually (in workstations) but in hordes (within massively parallel computers).
- kilocalories — Plural form of kilocalorie.
- kindred soul — like-minded person
- kinesophobia — Fear of movement.
- kinetography — a camera for taking pictures for a kinetoscope.
- kinetoplasts — Plural form of kinetoplast.
- king's color — a white ceremonial ensign with a royal cipher, flown on special occasions by the British Royal Navy.
- king's crown — a tropical American shrub, Justicia carnea, of the acanthus family, bearing clusters of tubular reddish flowers.
- king's scout — (in Great Britain) a boy scout who has achieved the highest level of scouting: similar to the U.S. eagle scout.
- king-of-arms — a title of certain of the principal heralds of England and certain other kingdoms empowered by their sovereigns to grant armorial bearings.
- kingdom come — the next world; the hereafter; heaven.
- kingdom hall — a meeting place of Jehovah's Witnesses for religious services.
- kirk session — the lowest court of the Presbyterian Church
- kiss goodbye — to kiss in taking leave
- kiss of life — medicine
- kitchen foil — aluminium foil used in cooking or storing food
- kitchen soap — heavy-duty soap intended for use in the kitchen
- kite balloon — a barrage balloon intended for use in information-gathering and observation; it is usually tethered to the ground and has lobes to keep it stable and pointing into the wind
- kiteboarding — A sport in which participants ride a form of wakeboard or surfboard harnessed to a large kite which is controlled by the rider.
- kittikachorn — Thanom [thah-nom] /θɑˈnɒm/ (Show IPA), 1911–2004, Thai army officer and statesman: premier 1963–73.
- kitty-corner — diagonal.
- klein bottle — a one-sided figure consisting of a tapered tube the narrow end of which is bent back, run through the side of the tube, and flared to join the wide end, thereby allowing any two points on the figure to be joined by an unbroken line.
- kleptocratic — a government or state in which those in power exploit national resources and steal; rule by a thief or thieves.
- kleptomaniac — a person who has kleptomania.
- knightlihood — Quality of being knightly.
- knock it off — stop it
- know-nothing — an ignorant or totally uninformed person; ignoramus.
- korea strait — a strait between Korea and Japan, connecting the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea. 120 miles (195 km) long.
- korsakoffian — relating to or suffering from Korsakoff's psychosis
- koussevitzky — Serge [sairzh] /sɛərʒ/ (Show IPA), (Sergei Alexandrovich Koussevitsky) 1874–1951, Russian orchestra conductor in the U.S.
- kremlinology — the study of the government of the former Soviet Union, especially the study of those factors governing its foreign affairs.
- kurchatovium — (chemistry) A rejected name for rutherfordium.
- lake nipigon — a lake in central Canada, in NW Ontario, draining into Lake Superior via the Nipigon River. Area: 4843 sq km (1870 sq miles)
- lake ontario — a province in S Canada, bordering on the Great Lakes. 412,582 sq. mi. (1,068,585 sq. km). Capital: Toronto.
- lake station — a town in NW Indiana.
- leukocytosis — an increase in the number of white blood cells in the blood.
- leukopedesis — an outward flow of white blood cells through a blood-vessel wall.
- leukopoiesis — the formation and development of white blood cells.
- leukotrienes — Plural form of leukotriene.
- library book — a book owned by a library
- likely story — dubious account
- liliuokalani — Lydia Kamekeha [kah-me-ke-hah] /ˌkɑ mɛˈkɛ hɑ/ (Show IPA), 1838–1917, last queen of the Hawaiian Islands 1891–93.
- lincoln park — a city in SE Michigan.
- linking word — A linking word is a word which shows a connection between clauses or sentences. 'However' and 'so' are linking words.
- little-known — not widely known; not famed
- loansharking — the practice of lending money at excessive rates of interest.
- locksmithing — The science and art of making and defeating locks.
- lodging knee — a knee reinforcing a hull horizontally, as at the ends of deck beams.
- look in (on) — to pay a brief visit (to)
- lookie-likie — a lookalike