Main Entry: ton·nage

Pronunciation: \ˈtə-nij\

Function: noun

Etymology: in sense 1, from Middle English, from Anglo-French, from tonne tun; in other senses, from ¹ton — more at tunnel

Date: 15th century

1 : a duty formerly levied on every tun of wine imported into England
2 a : a duty or impost on vessels based on cargo capacity b : a duty on goods per ton transported
3 : ships in terms of the total number of tons registered or carried or of their carrying capacity
4 a : the cubical content of a merchant ship in units of 100 cubic feet b : the displacement of a warship
5 a : total weight in tons shipped, carried, or produced b : impressively large amount or weight