ardeb

American  

[ahr-deb] / ˈɑr dɛb /

noun

1. 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.

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ardeb British  

/ ˈɑːdɛb /

noun

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

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Etymology

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

Example Sentences

In Dongola and Berber the price of dhurra rose to one hundred dollars an ardeb.

From Ten Years' Captivity in the Mahdi's Camp 1882-1892 by Wingate, F. R.

Wheat is now 400 piastres the ardeb up here; the little loaf, not quite so big as our penny roll, costs a piastre—about three-half-pence—and all in proportion. 

From Letters from Egypt by Ross, Janet

Under Nebuchadnezzar we find 12 qas, or the third part of an ardeb, of sesame sold for half a shekel, which would make the cost of a single quart a little more than a penny.

From Babylonians and Assyrians, Life and Customs by Sayce, A. H. (Archibald Henry)

The ardeb is equal to about 5 bushels, and is divided into 6 waybas, and each wayba into 24 rubas.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 1 "Edwardes" to "Ehrenbreitstein" by Various

Soon the price per ardeb rose from twelve to twenty dollars, and latterly to sixty dollars.

From Ten Years' Captivity in the Mahdi's Camp 1882-1892 by Wingate, F. R.