avoirdupois

Meaning

1. (historical, uncountable, usually) The official system of weights used in the UK between 1856 and 1963. It had been the customary system in London since 1300.
2. (historical, uncountable, usually) The official system of weights used in the USA between 1866 and 1959.
3. (humorous, uncountable, usually) Weight; heaviness.
4. (obsolete, uncountable, usually) Merchandise.

Synonyms

avoirdupois weight

blubber

fat

fatness

heaviness

heft

weight

stress

accent

press

sinker

weightiness

bob

dumbbell

emphasis

printing shop

ponderation

Translations

Gewichtigkeit

Handelsgewicht

Unfreundlichkeit

Avoirdupois

πάχυνση

graisse

gras

gros

obésité

pesanteur

poids

avoirdupoids

avoirdupois

avoir-du-poids

نظام الأوزان

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˌævədəˈpɔɪz/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: avoir de pois

Cognate with French: poids

In summary

From Middle English avoir de pois, aver de peis, haburdy poyse, haburdepays, haburdepeyse, from Old French aveir + de + peis (“asset of weight”), influenced by Middle French avoir + du + pois; compare French poids (“weight”).