ounce
1 Americannoun
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a unit of weight equal to 437.5 grains or 1/16 pound (28.35 grams) avoirdupois.
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a unit of 480 grains, 1/12 pound (31.1 grams) troy or apothecaries' weight.
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a fluid ounce.
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a small quantity or portion.
noun
noun
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oz. a unit of weight equal to one sixteenth of a pound (avoirdupois); 1 ounce is equal to 437.5 grains or 28.349 grams
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a unit of weight equal to one twelfth of a Troy or Apothecaries' pound; 1 ounce is equal to 480 grains or 31.103 grams
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short for fluid ounce
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a small portion or amount
noun
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A unit of weight in the US Customary System equal to 1/16 of a pound or 437.5 grains (28.35 grams).
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See Table at measurement
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See fluid ounce
Etymology
Origin of ounce1
1350–1400; Middle English unce < Middle French < Latin uncia twelfth part, inch, ounce, derivative of unus one
Origin of ounce2
1300–50; Middle English unce lynx < Anglo-French; Old French once, variant of lonce (erroneously taken as l'once the ounce) < Vulgar Latin *luncea, derivative of Latin lync- (stem of lynx ) lynx
Vocabulary lists containing ounce
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.
—Precious metals gained some momentum, with spot gold up 0.5% at $4,397.11 a troy ounce and spot silver advancing 1.5% to $65.63 a troy ounce.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
In early European trading, New York gold futures fell 0.8% to $4,385.90 a troy ounce.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Rate-sensitive gold futures fell $45.30 per troy ounce, or 1% to $4363.60, snapping a four-session winning streak.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
Spot gold is up 0.5% at $4,433.11 an ounce.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
“So, first you want to divide the numbers to figure out what the cost per ounce is, then you want...”
From "Auggie & Me" by R. J. Palacio
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.
