avoirdupois

[av-er-duh-poiz]

noun

1. avoirdupois weight.

2. Informal.,  body weight.

   He carries around a lot of excess avoirdupois.

avoirdupois

/ ˌævwɑːdjuːˈpwɑː, ˌævədəˈpɔɪz /

noun

1. Abbreviation: avdp.  avoir. a system of weights used in many English-speaking countries. It is based on the pound, which contains 16 ounces or 7000 grains. 100 pounds (US) or 112 pounds (Brit) is equal to 1 hundredweight and 20 hundredweights equals 1 ton

Word History and Origins

Origin of avoirdupois¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English avoir de pois literally, “goods of weight, property of weight,” from Old French aver “goods, property,” equivalent to avoir (earlier aveir, from Latin habēre “to have”) + de “of” (from Latin dē ) + pois (earlier peis, from Latin pēnsum “something weighed, weight,” from pendere “to weigh, weigh out”)

Word History and Origins

Origin of avoirdupois¹

C14: from Old French aver de peis goods of weight