The ounce (abbreviated: oz, the old Italian word onza, now spelled oncia; apothecary symbol: ℥) is a unit of mass with several definitions, the most commonly used of which are equal to approximately 28 grams. The ounce is used in a number of different systems, including various systems of mass that form part of the imperial and United States customary systems. Its size can vary from system to system. The most commonly used ounces today are the in...
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The ounce (abbreviated: oz, the old Italian word onza, now spelled oncia; apothecary symbol: ℥) is a unit of mass with several definitions, the most commonly used of which are equal to approximately 28 grams. The ounce is used in a number of different systems, including various systems of mass that form part of the imperial and United States customary systems. Its size can vary from system to system. The most commonly used ounces today are the international avoirdupois ounce and the international troy ounce.
Ounce derives from Latin uncia, a unit that was one twelfth (1/12) of the Roman pound (libra). Ounce was borrowed twice: first into Old English as ynsan or yndsan from an unattested Vulgar Latin form with ts for c before i (palatalization) and second into Middle English through Anglo-Norman and Middle French (unce, once, ounce).
Inch comes from the same Latin word, but is different because it was borrowed into Old English and underwent i-mutation or umlaut (u → y) and...
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