pennyweight

/'peniweit/

Thân thiện

A pharmacist measures a pennyweight of powder on a brass scale.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A unit of apothecary weight: A "pennyweight" is a unit of mass traditionally used in the troy weight system, primarily for precious metals like gold and silver. It is equal to 24 grains.

Usage

• The "pennyweight" is an archaic unit but is still used in some contexts, such as in jewelry and bullion trading, to measure the weight of precious metals.
• Its abbreviation is dwt, which originates from the Roman , a silver coin similar to a penny.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• Historical Context: The pennyweight was historically linked to the weight of a silver penny in medieval England. The troy system, which includes the pennyweight, is different from the more common avoirdupois system used for everyday items.
• Conversion: One pennyweight (dwt) is exactly 1/20 of a troy ounce. There are 20 pennyweights in one troy ounce.

Variants and Related Words

• Troy weight (n): The system of units that includes the pennyweight, grain, troy ounce, and troy pound.
• Grain (n): The smallest unit in the troy and avoirdupois systems. One pennyweight equals 24 grains.

Synonyms

• dwt: The standard abbreviation for pennyweight.
• (There are no direct common synonyms, as it is a specific unit of measure.)

Related Phrases

• By the pennyweight: Sold or measured using this unit.
  • Gold was often traded by the pennyweight in the 19th century.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a unit of apothecary weight equal to 24 grains