avoirdupois weight
- noun
- /ˌævərˈduːpwɑː wɛɪt/
- Specialized
:
peso avoirdupois
- In the United States, most groceries are sold according to the avoirdupois weight system.
Examples
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He learned to convert between metric units and avoirdupois weight during his science class.
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The avoirdupois weight system is different from the troy weight system used for precious metals.
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The package was measured in avoirdupois weight.
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Do you know how avoirdupois weights are calculated?
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In the United States, most groceries are sold according to the avoirdupois weight system.
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He learned to convert between metric units and avoirdupois weight during his science class.
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The avoirdupois weight system is different from the troy weight system used for precious metals.
Synonyms
A way of measuring weight using a pound of sixteen ounces, used in the United States
A system of weights using a 16-ounce pound for common goods
A way to measure weight using a pound of 16 ounces, used in the United States for everyday goods
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is fully compositional: 'avoirdupois' names a particular system of weights and 'weight' denotes the measured heaviness, so the meaning is simply a weight measured in the avoirdupois system. While 'avoirdupois' is a low-frequency technical term, if a learner knows that constituent the overall meaning follows a standard noun+noun composition and is predictable.
Etymology
Avoirdupois weight comes from an old French phrase avoir de pois, which means 'to have weight' or 'goods with weight'. It was used for everyday goods measured in pounds and ounces, so today avoirdupois weight refers to the common system for ordinary items.
