OUNCE

ounce, oz.

(noun) a unit of weight equal to one sixteenth of a pound or 16 drams or 28.349 grams

ounce, troy ounce, apothecaries' ounce

(noun) a unit of apothecary weight equal to 480 grains or one twelfth of a troy pound

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology 1

Noun

ounce (plural ounces) abbreviation oz. or ℥

An avoirdupois ounce, weighing 1/16 of an avoirdupois pound, or 28.3495 grams.

A troy ounce, weighing 1/12 of a troy pound, or 480 grains, or 31.1035 grams.

A US fluid ounce, with a volume of 1/16 of a US pint, 1.8047 cubic inches or 29.5735 millilitres.

A British imperial fluid ounce, with a volume of 1/20 of an imperial pint, 1.7339 cubic inches or 28.4131 millilitres.

A little bit.

Synonyms

• (avoirdupois ounce): symbol: ℥ (pharmacy)

• (small amount): see also modicum

Etymology 2

Noun

ounce (plural ounces)

(now, archaic) A large wild feline, such as a lynx or cougar. [from 14th c.]

Now specifically, the snow leopard, Uncia uncia. [from 18th c.]

Anagrams

• Cuneo, cuneo-, on cue

Source: Wiktionary

Ounce, n. Etym: [F. once, fr. L. uncia a twelfth, the twelfth part of a pound or of a foot: cf. Gr. Inch, Oke.]

1. A weight, the sixteenth part of a pound avoirdupois, and containing 437

2. (Troy Weight)

Definition: The twelfth part of a troy pound.

Note: The troy ounce contains twenty pennyweights, each of twenty- four grains, or, in all, 480 grains, and is the twelfth part of the troy pound. The troy ounce is also a weight in apothecaries' weight. [Troy ounce is sometimes written as one word, troyounce.]

3. Fig.: A small portion; a bit. [Obs.] By ounces hung his locks that he had. Chaucer. Fluid ounce. See under Fluid, n.

Ounce, n. Etym: [F. once; cf. It. lonza, Sp. onza; prob. for lonce, taken as l'once, fr. L. lynx, Gr. lyncea, from lynx. Cf. Lynx.] (Zoöl.)

Definition: A feline quadruped (Felis irbis, or uncia) resembling the leopard in size, and somewhat in color, but it has longer and thicker fur, which forms a short mane on the back. The ounce is pale yellowish gray, with irregular dark spots on the neck and limbs, and dark rings on the body. It inhabits the lofty mountain ranges of Asia. Called also once.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition