Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • An ancient city in Asia Minor: Troy was a legendary city in what is now northwestern Turkey, famous as the setting of the Trojan War described in Greek mythology and epic poetry, particularly Homer's Iliad.
2. Noun:
   • A system of weights: Troy weight is a system of units of mass customarily used for precious metals, gemstones, and black powder. It is distinct from the more common avoirdupois system. Its basic units are the grain, the pennyweight (24 grains), the troy ounce (20 pennyweights, or 480 grains), and the troy pound (12 troy ounces).

Usage Examples

• Proper noun (Ancient city):
  • The archaeological site of Troy is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • The story of the Trojan Horse is set in the city of Troy.
• Noun (Weight system):
  • Gold and silver are traditionally weighed in troy ounces.
  • A troy pound is lighter than a standard avoirdupois pound.

Advanced Usage

• "troy ounce": The standard unit in the troy weight system, equal to 31.1034768 grams.
  • The price of silver is quoted per troy ounce.
• "troy weight": The full term for the system of measurement.
  • Jewelers and assayers use troy weight for accuracy with precious materials.

Variants and Related Words

• Troy weight (n): The full name for the system of weights.
• Troy ounce (n): The primary unit of the troy system.
• Pennyweight (n): A unit in the troy system equal to 24 grains or 1/20 of a troy ounce.

Synonyms

• Proper noun: Ilium (the poetic name for Troy).
• Noun (Weight system): troy weight.

Notes on Different Meanings

• The two meanings are homographs (spelled the same) but are entirely different words with different origins. The city name comes from ancient Greek/Latin, while the weight system's name is believed to derive from the French market town of .

Noun

1. an ancient city in Asia Minor that was the site of the Trojan War
2. a system of weights used for precious metals and gemstones; based on a 12-ounce pound and an ounce of 480 grains