ounce

¹

[ouns]

noun

1. a unit of weight equal to 437.5 grains or 1/16 pound (28.35 grams) avoirdupois.

2. a unit of 480 grains, 1/12 pound (31.1 grams) troy or apothecaries' weight.

3. a fluid ounce.

4. a small quantity or portion.

ounce

²

[ouns]

noun

1. snow leopard.

ounce

¹

/ aʊns /

noun

1. oz. a unit of weight equal to one sixteenth of a pound (avoirdupois); 1 ounce is equal to 437.5 grains or 28.349 grams

2. a unit of weight equal to one twelfth of a Troy or Apothecaries' pound; 1 ounce is equal to 480 grains or 31.103 grams

3. short for fluid ounce

4. a small portion or amount

ounce

²

/ aʊns /

noun

1. another name for snow leopard

ounce

1. A unit of weight in the US Customary System equal to 1/16 of a pound or 437.5 grains (28.35 grams).

2. See Table at measurement

3. See fluid ounce

Word History and Origins

Origin of ounce¹

1350–1400; Middle English unce < Middle French < Latin uncia twelfth part, inch, ounce, derivative of unus one

Origin of ounce²

1300–50; Middle English unce lynx < Anglo-French; Old French once, variant of lonce (erroneously taken as l'once the ounce) < Vulgar Latin *luncea, derivative of Latin lync- (stem of lynx ) lynx

Word History and Origins

Origin of ounce¹

C14: from Old French unce, from Latin uncia a twelfth; from ūnus one

Origin of ounce²

C18: from Old French once, by mistaken division of lonce as if l'once, from Latin _lynx

Idioms and Phrases

• more bang for the buck (bounce for the ounce)

Example Sentences

Gold, which touched a record high Wednesday before inching down, settled at $3,975.90 a troy ounce.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“I will be honest with you, I haven’t thought about that one ounce,” Skipper said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Physical activity is the closest thing to a miracle drug: Even if you don’t lose an ounce of weight, it reduces the risk of dementia, cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

On Tuesday, gold climbed above $4,000 an ounce for the first time.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

With gold at $4,000 an ounce, “there isn’t a mine in the world that isn’t robustly profitable,” he told MarketWatch.

Read more on MarketWatch