ounce

1 of 2

noun (1)

Synonyms of ouncenext
1
a
: a unit of weight equal to 1/12 troy pound see Weights and Measures Table
b
: a unit of weight equal to 1/16 avoirdupois pound
c
: a small amount
an ounce of sense
2

ounce

2 of 2

noun (2)

Examples of ounce in a Sentence

Noun (1) an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
This measuring cup with a bright red handle is crafted with an easy-pour angled spout and a multitude of markings for cups, ounces, and milliliters. Jamie Allison Sanders, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025 Gold futures traded around $2,640 a troy ounce at the start of this year. Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 25 Dec. 2025 Spot gold rose as much as 1% to hit a record high of $4,530 per ounce Friday. Nur Hikmah Md Ali, CNBC, 25 Dec. 2025 Bullion neared $4,500 an ounce Tuesday, more than double since 2022 — a year when both Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shattered a period of relative geopolitical calm and the onset of inflation eroded investors’ trust in government currencies. Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 23 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ounce

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French unce, from Latin uncia 12th part, ounce, from unus one — more at one

Noun (2)

Middle English unce lynx, from Middle French, alteration (by misdivision, as if l'once the ounce) of lonce, probably from Old Italian lonza, from Middle Greek lynk-, lynx, from Greek

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1774, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ounce was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ounce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ounce. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

ounce

noun
ˈau̇n(t)s
1
a
: a unit of weight equal to ¹⁄₁₂ troy pound (about 31 grams) see measure
b
: a unit of weight equal to ¹⁄₁₆ avoirdupois pound (about 28 grams)
c
: a small amount
an ounce of common sense
2
Etymology

Noun

Middle English unce, ounce "ounce," from early French unce (same meaning), from Latin uncia "a twelfth part, ounce," from unus "one" — related to inch, unite

Word Origin
The Latin word uncia was used to mean "a twelfth part of something." In reference to length, it meant one-twelfth of a pes "foot." In reference to weight, it meant one-twelfth of a libra "pound." Uncia, as a unit of length, came into Old English as ince or ynce, which became our inch. Uncia, as a unit of weight, came into Middle English from the early French word unce and became our ounce. In the present system of weights used in this country, the pound is divided into sixteen parts instead of twelve. The result is that the ounce, which originally meant one-twelfth, is now equal to one-sixteenth of a pound.

Medical Definition

ounce

noun
1
a
: a unit of troy weight equal to ¹/₁₂ troy pound or 31.103 grams
b
: a unit of avoirdupois weight equal to ¹/₁₆ avoirdupois pound or 28.350 grams
2

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