ounce

An avoirdupois ounce, weighing ¹⁄₁₆ of an avoirdupois pound, or 28.349523125 grams.

Noun

  1. An avoirdupois ounce, weighing ¹⁄₁₆ of an avoirdupois pound, or 28.349523125 grams.
  2. A troy ounce, weighing ¹⁄₁₂ of a troy pound, or 480 grains, or 31.1034768 grams.
  3. A US fluid ounce, with a volume of ¹⁄₁₆ of a US pint, 1.804688 cubic inches or 29.5735295625 millilitres.
  4. A British imperial fluid ounce, with a volume of ¹⁄₂₀ of an imperial pint, 1.733871 cubic inches or 28.4130625 millilitres.
  5. Any small amount, a little bit.
    • He didn't feel even an ounce of regret for his actions.

Origin

From Middle English ounce, unce, from Middle French once, from Latin uncia (“Roman ounce, various similar units”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *óynos (“one”). Doublet of a, one, inch, uncia, onça, onza, oka, ouguiya, and awqiyyah.

Forms

ounces

Synonyms

oz. ℥ uncia fl. oz.

Derived

12-ounce curls an ounce of prevention is better than an ounce of cure an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure bounce to the ounce fine ounce metric-ounce metric ounce ounceland twelve-ounce curls with every ounce of one's being

Noun archaic

  1. A large wild feline, such as a lynx or cougar.
    • The Ounce or the vvilde Cat, is as big as a mungrell dog, this creature is by nature feirce, and more dangerous to bee met vvithall than any other creature, not fearing eyther dogge or man; […] - 1634, William Wood, “Of...
    • Halloa! another prey, The nimble Antelope! The ounce is freed; one spring, And his talons are sheath’d in her shoulders, And his teeth are red in her gore. - 1801, Robert Southey, “(please specify the page)”, in Thalaba...
  2. Synonym of snow leopard, Panthera uncia.

    Synonyms: snow leopard Panthera uncia

  3. Synonym of onza, a particularly aggressive cougar or jaguarundi in Mexican folklore.
    • The ounce, a leopard-like creature, is dreaded for its depredations by the Indians of Brazil. - 1911, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, volume 8, page 235:

    Synonyms: onza

Origin

From Middle French once, from Old French lonce (“lynx”), by false division (the l was thought to be the article), from Italian lonza, ultimately from Ancient Greek λύγξ (lúnx, “lynx”). Doublet of onza and lynx.

Forms

ounces