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Glite Dictionary
⚖️ Relating to weight 🪙 A small weight
ponderal

ponderal

9.9
A small metal weight used on balance scales to measure mass
  • noun
  • /ˈpɒndərəl/
  • Archaic
: ponderal
  • The jeweler carefully placed a ponderal on the scale to measure the gold ring.
  • ponderal index

Examples

  • He found a set of antique ponderals in his grandfather's workshop.

  • Old-fashioned pharmacies often used a ponderal to ensure accurate measurements of medicine.

  • The ponderal was placed on the scale for accurate measurement.

  • He used a ponderal to measure the weight of the gold.

  • The jeweler carefully placed a ponderal on the scale to measure the gold ring.

  • Old-fashioned pharmacies often used a ponderal to ensure accurate measurements of medicine.

  • He found a set of antique ponderals in his grandfather's workshop.

Surface Forms

ponderal singular
ponderals plural

Morphology

ponderal = ponder (opaque) = ponder + al

The noun sense ('a small weight') is historically related to the same root, but learners cannot deduce this meaning from the everyday verb 'ponder' (to think).

Etymology

Ponderal comes from the Latin word pondus, meaning 'weight', and was used to name small metal 'weights' for balance scales. So, a ponderal is literally a little 'weight' you put on a scale to measure how heavy something is.