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

1. an apothecary weight equal to 12 ounces or 373.242 grams