fluid ounce

Save This Word!

noun

a measure of capacity equal to 1/16 (0.0625) pint (29.6 milliliters) in the U.S., and equal to 1/20 (0.05) of an imperial pint (28.4 milliliters) in Great Britain. Abbreviation: fl. oz; Symbol: f

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "IS" VS. "ARE"

"Is" it time for a new quiz? "Are" you ready? Then prove your excellent skills on using "is" vs. "are."

Question 1 of 7

IS and ARE are both forms of which verb?

have

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of fluid ounce

First recorded in 1880–85

Words nearby fluid ounce

fluidize, fluidized bed, fluid lubrication, fluid mechanics, fluid mosaic model, fluid ounce, fluid pressure, fluidrachm, fluke, flukey, fluky

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

MORE ABOUT FLUID OUNCE

What does fluid ounce mean?

A fluid ounce is a unit used in the measurement of the volume of liquids.

It is commonly abbreviated as fl. oz. (or fl oz), which can mean a singular fluid ounce, or, more commonly, the plural fluid ounces.

An ounce is a unit used in the measurement of weight. (Both ounce and ounces can be abbreviated as oz.) A fluid ounce is used to measure volume (capacity), not weight—specifically, the volume of a fluid (liquid). In everyday conversation, the word ounces is often used instead of saying fluid ounces, as in I just drank 16 ounces of that energy drink. The abbreviation oz. is sometimes used in this way, as in a 20 oz. bottle of water.

You’ll often see the abbreviation fl. oz. on the labels of containers that contain liquid or some other kind of non-solid, such as a can of soda or a bottle of moisturizer, to indicate how much stuff the container contains. It is also seen in recipes.

Fluid ounces are used in the United States Customary System and the British Imperial System of measurement.

In the Customary System, there are 8 fluid ounces in a cup and 16 fluid ounces in a pint. There are 20 fluid ounces in an Imperial pint.

A fluid ounce is equal to 29.57 milliliters (1 milliliter is equivalent to 0.033815 of a fluid ounce.)

Example: Standard soft drink cans contain 12 fluid ounces, but they also sell 8 oz. cans.

Where does fluid ounce come from?

The first records of the term fluid ounce come from around the 1880s. The word ounce has been abbreviated as oz. since at least the 1500s. The abbreviation oz. comes from a shortening of the Italian word onza, meaning “ounce.”

It’s more common to see the abbreviation fl. oz. than to see the phrase fluid ounces spelled out. That’s because it’s commonly used on product labels to indicate how much the container holds. On many products, it often appears alongside a measurement in milliliters, which is usually abbreviated ml or mL.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to fluid ounce?

fl. oz. (abbreviation)
fl oz (abbreviation without periods)

What are some words that share a root or word element with fluid ounce?

fluid
ounce

What are some words that often get used in discussing fluid ounce?

How is fluid ounce used in real life?

Fluid ounce is commonly abbreviated as fl. oz. on product labels.

Hi! Due to rising fruit costs the 15.2-ounce bottle was reduced to 12 fluid ounces. We do not offer multipacks of Minute Maid Apple Juice in that size, so we'd recommend reaching out to your store manager to see if they can set some aside for you. Thanks for being a fan!

— Coca-Cola (@CocaCola) October 5, 2020

Slowly making peace with the fact that I will never understand the distinction between fluid ounces and net weight ounces.

— Masket or Casket 😷⚰️ (@smotus) October 4, 2020

I will Venmo $5 to the first person to accurately guess how many fluid ounces of coffee I’ve consumed today.

— wolf (@noie_wolf) September 29, 2020

Try using fluid ounce!

Is fluid ounce used correctly in the following sentence?

The package only contains 64 fluid ounces of flour and that’s not enough for what I’m baking.

How to use fluid ounce in a sentence

As any middle-school science teacher will yell at you, “fluid ounces” are not the same as ounces.
Best kitchen scales: This handy kitchen essential is a must-have for baking and beyond|Irena Collaku|July 24, 2021|Popular-Science
So we know that boring down to the bedrock and pumping it full of fluid can cause earthquakes.
26 Earthquakes Later, Fracking’s Smoking Gun Is in Texas|James Joiner|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In Voodoo, the demarcation between life and death is more fluid; helping Voodoo followers create order out of disorder.
‘Gods of Suburbia’: Dina Goldstein’s Arresting Photo Series on Religion vs. Consumerism|Dina Goldstein|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Bunker, along with his brothers Herbert and Lamar, started buying silver in 1970, when it was $1.94 an ounce.
The Zillionaires Who Lost Everything|Tom Sykes|October 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST

In 1988 he was jailed for seven months when police in Jersey found half an ounce of cocaine on board his chopper.
The Secrets of Britain’s Wildest Aristocrats|Tom Sykes|October 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In other words, the omnipresent postcolonial Arab State has just about dropped dead, the times are fluid and the vacuums are many.
ISIS and BS|Amal Ghandour|October 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It separates into three layers upon standing—a brown deposit, a clear fluid, and a frothy layer.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
One frequently wishes to ascertain the specific gravity of quantities of fluid too small to float an urinometer.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
This fluid is then heated, adding crystals of sodium acetate until it becomes perfectly clear.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
The clear, straw-colored fluid which is left after separation of the coagulum is called blood-serum.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
Leukocytes are easily distinguished from red cells, especially when Toisson's diluting fluid is used.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd

British Dictionary definitions for fluid ounce

fluid ounce

noun

a unit of capacity equal to the volume of one avoirdupois ounce of distilled water at 62°F: there are twenty fluid ounces in an Imperial pint and sixteen in a US pint

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

Medical definitions for fluid ounce

fluid ounce

A unit of volume or capacity equal to 8 fluid drams or 29.57 milliliters.

Scientific definitions for fluid ounce

fluid ounce

A unit of liquid volume or capacity in the US Customary System equal to 116 of a pint (29.57 milliliters). See Table at measurement.