ardeb

[ahr-deb]

noun

a unit of capacity used for dry measure in Egypt and neighboring countries, officially equivalent in Egypt to 5.62 U.S. bushels, but varying greatly in different localities.

Origin of ardeb

1860–65; < dialectal Arabic ardabb ≪ Aramaic 'rdb, perhaps < Old Persian; compare Egyptian Demotic 'rtb, late Akkadian ardabu, Elamite irtiba, Syriac 'arṭba, Greek artábē, Arabic 'irdabb ≪ Aramaic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for ardeb

Historical Examples of ardeb

The monthly pay of the mulazemin consists of half a Dervish dollar, and, every fortnight, one-eighth of an ardeb of dhurra.
Fire and Sword in the Sudan
Rudolf C. Slatin
The commonest food, known as "dokhn" (a kind of millet) rose to 150 dollars, and eventually to 500 dollars the ardeb.
Ten Years' Captivity in the Mahdi's Camp 1882-1892
F. R. Wingate
In Dongola and Berber the price of dhurra rose to one hundred dollars an ardeb.
Ten Years' Captivity in the Mahdi's Camp 1882-1892
F. R. Wingate
Every horse-owner is entitled to half an ardeb of dhurra from the beit el mal.
Ten Years' Captivity in the Mahdi's Camp 1882-1892
F. R. Wingate
It was fortunate that the Negus had posted on his left wing the troops that had learnt our mode of fighting at Ardeb.
Freeland
Theodor Hertzka

British Dictionary definitions for ardeb

ardeb

noun

a unit of dry measure used in Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries. In Egypt it is approximately equal to 0.195 cubic metres

Word Origin for ardeb

C19: from Arabic ardabb, from Greek artabē a Persian measure

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012