centner

American  

[sent-ner] / ˈsɛnt nər /

noun

1. (in several European countries) a unit of weight of 50 kilograms, equivalent to 110.2 pounds avoirdupois.

2. a unit of 100 kilograms.

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centner British  

/ ˈsɛntnə /

noun

1. Also called (esp US): short hundredweight.  a unit of weight equivalent to 100 pounds (45.3 kilograms)

2. (in some European countries) a unit of weight equivalent to 50 kilograms (110.23 pounds)

3. a unit of weight equivalent to 100 kilograms

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Etymology

Origin of centner

1675–85 for sense “hundredweight”; < Low German; compare German Zentner, Old High German centenari < Latin centēnārius of a hundred; see centenary

Example Sentences

The Roman centumpondium, composed of 100 librae, the old German centner of 100 pfundt, and the English hundredweight of 112 pounds can be called lingual equivalents.

From De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556 by Agricola, Georgius

This is probably the Austrian centner which is equivalent to 123.4615 pounds.

From The Borghesi Astronomical Clock in the Museum of History and Technology Contributions from the Museum of History and Technology, Paper 35, the Smithsonian Institution United States National Museum Bulletin 240 by Bedini, Silvio A.

At first sight it might appear from this statement that where Agricola uses the word centumpondium he means the German centner.

From De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556 by Agricola, Georgius