What does "ounce" mean?
An avoirdupois ounce, weighing ¹⁄₁₆ of an avoirdupois pound, or 28.349523125 grams.
Ounce
/aʊns/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An avoirdupois ounce, weighing ¹⁄₁₆ of an avoirdupois pound, or 28.349523125 grams.
- Grammar: ounce is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: oz., ace, animal, antelope.
- Useful contrasts: domestic cat, much, plenty.
- Usage evidence: An ounce of practice is worth a pound of precept.
How to use "ounce"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "ounce" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "ounce" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "ounce" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "ounce" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "ounce" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "oz." and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "ounce", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An avoirdupois ounce, weighing ¹⁄₁₆ of an avoirdupois pound, or 28.349523125 grams.
- 2 A large wild feline, such as a lynx or cougar. archaic
"The Ounce or the vvilde Cat, is as big as a mungrell dog, this creature is by nature feirce, and more dangerous to bee met vvithall than any other creature, not fearing eyther dogge or man; […]"
- 3 large feline of upland central Asia having long thick whitish fur wordnet
- 4 A troy ounce, weighing ¹⁄₁₂ of a troy pound, or 480 grains, or 31.1034768 grams.
- 5 Synonym of snow leopard, Panthera uncia.
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 a unit of weight equal to one sixteenth of a pound or 16 drams or 28.349 grams wordnet
- 7 A US fluid ounce, with a volume of ¹⁄₁₆ of a US pint, 1.804688 cubic inches or 29.5735295625 millilitres.
- 8 Synonym of onza, a particularly aggressive cougar or jaguarundi in Mexican folklore.
"The ounce, a leopard-like creature, is dreaded for its depredations by the Indians of Brazil."
- 9 a unit of apothecary weight equal to 480 grains or one twelfth of a troy pound wordnet
- 10 A British imperial fluid ounce, with a volume of ¹⁄₂₀ of an imperial pint, 1.733871 cubic inches or 28.4130625 millilitres.
- 11 Any small amount, a little bit. figuratively
"He didn't feel even an ounce of regret for his actions."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"An ounce of practice is worth a pound of precept."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "ounce"?
Common synonyms include: oz., ace, animal, antelope, apothecaries' ounce, armadillo.
How do you use "ounce" in a sentence?
An ounce of practice is worth a pound of precept.
How do you pronounce "ounce"?
Pronounced /aʊns/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
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.
Etymology 2
From Middle French once, from Old French lonce (“lynx”), by false division (the l was thought to be the article), from Italian lonza, ultimately from Ancient Greek λύγξ (lúnx, “lynx”). Doublet of onza and lynx.