gram
/græm/
Definition
- Noun:
- A metric unit of mass: A unit of weight in the metric system equal to one thousandth (1/1000) of a kilogram. It is the base unit of mass in the centimeter-gram-second (CGS) system of units.
- A person's name (eponym): Refers to Hans Christian Joachim Gram, a Danish bacteriologist known for developing the Gram stain, a laboratory technique used to classify bacteria.
Examples of Usage
- As a unit of mass:
- This letter weighs less than 20 grams.
- The recipe calls for 250 grams of flour.
- As an eponym (typically capitalized in this context):
- The bacteria were identified using the Gram stain.
- Gram-positive bacteria have a different cell wall structure than Gram-negative bacteria.
Advanced Usage
- "Gram" as a suffix in measurement: Used in compound words to denote a weight of one thousand units (e.g., kilogram, milligram). However, note that these are distinct compound words, not the target word 'gram' itself.
- Scientific terminology: In microbiology, the terms "Gram-positive" and "Gram-negative" are standard classifications derived from Hans Christian Gram's staining method. The 'Gram' in these terms is a proper adjective.
Variants and Related Words
- Gramme: An alternative, chiefly British, spelling of 'gram' (as a unit of mass). The spelling 'gram' is more common in American English.
- Gram-negative (adj): Describing bacteria that do not retain the crystal violet stain used in the Gram stain method.
- Gram-positive (adj): Describing bacteria that retain the crystal violet stain and appear purple under a microscope.
Synonyms
- g (abbreviation): The standard abbreviation for gram.
- gm (abbreviation): A less common abbreviation for gram.
Related Phrases and Compounds
(Note: The following are common compound terms, not phrasal verbs of the single word 'gram') - Gram stain (n): The differential staining technique developed by Hans Christian Gram. - Gram molecule (n, archaic): An older term for a mole, the unit of amount of substance. - Gram atom (n, archaic): An older term for the atomic weight of an element expressed in grams.
Related Idioms
(There are no common idioms based solely on the word 'gram'.)
Noun
-
Danish physician and bacteriologist who developed a method of staining bacteria to distinguish among them (1853-1938)
-
a metric unit of weight equal to one thousandth of a kilogram
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