hundredweight
A measure of weight containing a hundred pounds, variously understood asA measure of weight containing a hundred pounds, variously understood as: A unit of measurement containing 100 avoirdupois pounds (about 45.4 kg).
» The abbreviation for a hundredweight is 'cwt.', standing for its former name of 'centum weight'.
Meaning
4 sensesA measure of weight containing a hundred pounds, variously understood as
(Canada, US)A unit of measurement containing 100 avoirdupois pounds (about 45.4 kg).
Zentner
a British unit of weight equivalent to 112 pounds
(UK, historical)A unit of measurement containing 112 avoirdupois pounds (eight stone or about 50.8 kg).
a United States unit of weight equivalent to 100 pounds
(historical)Synonym of quintal, a unit of measurement containing various amounts depending on the objects weighed.
(historical)Various units of ancient measurement systems consisting of 100 units usually translated as "pounds".
Examples
2 sentencesThe abbreviation for a hundredweight is 'cwt.', standing for its former name of 'centum weight'.
Ten tame goats pull ten hundredweights of sugar to Zurich main station.
deZehn zahme Ziegen ziehen zehn Zentner Zucker zum Züricher Zentralbahnhof.
Translations
5 languagesBy meaning 1
Origin
16th century, from hundred + weight.16th century, from hundred + weight.
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Forms
plural: hundredweight / hundredweightsSynonyms
10 synonyms- a British unit of weight equivalent to 112 pounds:cwtlong hundredweight
- a United States unit of weight equivalent to 100 pounds:cwtshort hundredweightcentnercentalquintal
- a unit of weight equal to 100 kilograms in the metric system:metric hundredweightdoppelzentnercentner
Word family
1 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Plural nouns — Because its plural is irregular