arroba
Americannoun
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a symbol (@) that is used to link a username to a domain name, used at the beginning of Twitter handles, and in other identifying designations on the internet in Spanish-speaking countries.
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a Spanish and Portuguese unit of weight of varying value, equal to 25.37 pounds avoirdupois (9.5 kilograms) in Mexico and to 32.38 pounds avoirdupois (12 kilograms) in Brazil.
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a unit of liquid measure of varying value, used especially in Spain and commonly equal (when used for wine) to 4.26 U.S. gallons (16.1 liters).
noun
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a unit of weight, approximately equal to 11 kilograms, used in some Spanish-speaking countries
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a unit of weight, approximately equal to 15 kilograms, used in some Portuguese-speaking countries
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a liquid measure used in some Spanish-speaking countries with different values, but in Spain used as a wine-measure, approximately equal to 16 litres
Etymology
Origin of arroba
First recorded in 1550–1560; from Spanish, Portuguese, from Arabic al rubʿ “the fourth part, a quarter (of the qintār), from Common Semitic arbaʿ “four”; see quintal
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
By-and-by he extracted a spade, a mattock, and a skin-covered corn measure holding about the quarter of an arroba.
From The Firebrand by Crockett, S. R. (Samuel Rutherford)
After he had collected an arroba of the precious metal, winning a profit of nearly $5,000, the heads of the lightened mules were turned down-trail again.
From Whirligigs by Henry, O.
A strong man will carry an arroba and a half daily for a distance of six leagues for a whole week.
From The Former Philippines thru Foreign Eyes by Craig, Austin
The pearl shells are sent to China, and are worth, at La Paz, one dollar and a half the arroba, or twenty-five pounds.
From What I Saw in California by Bryant, Edwin
White sugar was then worth thirty-two reals per arroba, brown sugar twenty-eight.
From The History of Cuba, vol. 2 by Johnson, Willis Fletcher
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
