avoirdupois
|a-voir-du-pois|
🇺🇸
/ˌævərˈduːpwɑː/
🇬🇧
/ˌævəˈdʊpwɑː/
measured weight; heaviness
Etymology
'avoirdupois' originates from Anglo-Norman/French, specifically the phrase 'avoir de pois', where 'avoir' meant 'to have' (or 'goods') and 'pois' meant 'weight'.
'avoir du pois' (a phrase meaning 'goods by weight' in Anglo-Norman/Middle French) was adopted into Middle English as a compound and eventually became the single noun 'avoirdupois' in modern English.
Initially it referred to 'goods sold by weight' or 'weights of goods'; over time it evolved to mean simply 'weight, heaviness' and also the specific 'system of weights' (the avoirdupois system).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
weight; heaviness — the amount or measure of how heavy something is.
The porter recorded the avoirdupois of each crate before loading the truck.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 2
the avoirdupois system — a system of weights based on a pound of 16 ounces, traditionally used for everyday goods in English-speaking countries.
The United States and Britain historically used the avoirdupois system for most commercial weights.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/03 09:12