SINCE 1828
dictionary
thesaurus

arroba

noun
Save Word
ar·​ro·​ba | \ ə-ˈrō-bə How to pronounce arroba (audio) \

Definition of arroba

1 : an old Spanish unit of weight equal to about 25 pounds
2 : an old Portuguese unit of weight equal to about 32 pounds

First Known Use of arroba

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for arroba

borrowed from Spanish, borrowed from Arabic al rubʽ "the quarter" (the unit being a quarter of a Spanish quintal), from al "the" + rubʽ "quarter," derivative of a root r-b-ʽ, whence also arbaʽa "four"

Buying Guide

Learn Spanish with online courses selected by our Reviews team.

Learn More About arroba

Dictionary Entries Near arroba

arriviste

arroba

arrogance

See More Nearby Entries 

Statistics for arroba

Cite this Entry

“Arroba.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arroba. Accessed 5 Jul. 2022.

Style: MLA
MLACheck Mark Icon ChicagoCheck Mark Icon APACheck Mark Icon Merriam-WebsterCheck Mark Icon

WORD OF THE DAY

cantankerous

Listen to the pronunciation of cantankerous

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Name That Food

  • a-light
  • Name these cookies!
How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Universal Daily Crossword

A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games