apothecaries' pound
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: - A historical unit of mass in the apothecaries' system: The 'apothecaries' pound' was a traditional unit of weight used specifically by apothecaries (historical pharmacists) for compounding medicines. It is equal to 12 apothecaries' ounces or 373.242 grams.
Usage
- The 'apothecaries' pound' is used to refer to a specific, now largely obsolete, weight measurement from the apothecaries' system.
- It is primarily encountered in historical texts, old pharmaceutical formulas, or discussions of historical measurement systems.
Examples
Advanced Usage
- Historical Context: The term is almost exclusively used in a historical or academic context to describe pre-modern pharmaceutical practices. It is not used in contemporary medicine or science.
- Precision: The modern equivalent of 373.242 grams indicates it was a precisely defined unit within its system.
Variants and Related Words
- Apothecaries' weight: The system of weights of which the apothecaries' pound was the largest unit.
- Apothecaries' ounce: A smaller unit within the same system, equal to 1/12 of an apothecaries' pound.
- Troy pound: A very similar unit (also 12 ounces) used for precious metals; the apothecaries' pound is essentially identical to the troy pound.
Synonyms
- Troy pound (in weight, though contexts of use differed).
- Historical pharmaceutical pound.
Notes on Meaning
- This term has only one specific meaning: a defined historical unit of mass. It does not have idiomatic or figurative uses.
- It should not be confused with the more common avoirdupois pound, which is lighter (approximately 453.592 grams) and was used for general commerce.
Noun
- an apothecary weight equal to 12 ounces or 373.242 grams