ounce

B2 Topic:Mathematics & Measurement

US /aʊns/ See IPA manual

Freq #9774

Meanings

1

noun
A unit of weight equal to about 28 grams, or one sixteenth of a pound.

The recipe calls for four ounces of butter.
2

noun
A very small amount of something.

He didn't show an ounce of regret.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a unit of weight equal to... oz.

2 noun · a very small amount of... modicum

Word family

Forms ounces

Derived forms metric-ounceounceland

Etymology

From Middle English ounce, unce, from Middle French once, from Latin uncia (“Roman ounce, various similar units”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *óynos (“one”). Doublet of a, one, inch, uncia, onça, onza, oka, ouguiya, and awqiyyah.

ounce Middle English once Middle French uncia Latin *óynos Proto-Indo-European

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# ounce

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /aʊns/
**Frequency rank:** 9774

## Meanings
1. A unit of weight equal to about 28 grams, or one sixteenth of a pound.
2. A very small amount of something.

## Examples
- The recipe calls for four ounces of butter.
- He didn't show an ounce of regret.

## Derived Forms
- metric-ounce
- ounceland

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: ounce
- Root: once
- Root: uncia
- Root: *óynos

## Etymology
From Middle English ounce, unce, from Middle French once, from Latin uncia (“Roman ounce, various similar units”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *óynos (“one”). Doublet of a, one, inch, uncia, onça, onza, oka, ouguiya, and awqiyyah.

## AI Etymology
Ounce comes from Middle English ounce, unce, from Middle French once, from Latin uncia (“Roman ounce, various similar units”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *óynos (“one”). Doublet of a, one, inch, uncia, onça, onza, oka, ouguiya, and awqiyyah. Modern senses include a unit of weight equal to about 28 grams, or one sixteenth of a pound and a very small amount of something. The wider word family includes derivatives such as metric-ounce and ounceland.

## Topics
- Mathematics & Measurement

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ounce

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